Double and Kiva: The Great Monster War
Chapter 4: Old and New Players
Written by: CMR Rosa, busterleader92 and Despicable-D
Tokyo
"Secure the perimeter! Maki, keep all those people back. We still don't know what happened here and we don't need any civvies mucking up the evidence!" Detective Jinno called out orders as his subordinates created a police line around the area where the Dopant that had wreaked havoc just last night had supposedly crashed after being beaten by Double. The only physical evidence that remained, though, was the massive flame blackened crater where the giant beast fell.
"Mataku! The last thing we need is kaiju Dopants literally ripping chunks out of our city," Jinno griped as he used his trusty back scratcher to rub at the irritable joints in his back. "Although… a Godzilla Dopant would be something to see…" Jinno mused to himself thoughtfully scratching his chin.
"We should count ourselves lucky no such Dopants exist." Jinno turned at the unamused retort to find Tatsuma flashing his police badge to the officers on guard as well as ushering his compatriots, Keitaro and Kanako, in as well. Keitaro immediately took out his Bat Shot in order to snag a few pictures of the scene that he and Phillip could go over later, while Kanako joined Makura in keeping the civilians back.
"Any developments?" Tatsuma asked as he joined Jinno by the crater.
"None. No body or any evidence a human being had been here after this thing crashed. Whoever used that Memory knew how to cover their tracks so we wouldn't be able to find them."
"Slippery bastard," Tatsuma growled under his breath.
"No good news I'm guessing," Keitaro deduced as he finished getting his pictures.
"Oi, detective! Who said you could photograph our crime scene!?" Maki hollered as he stomped up to Keitaro in an attempt to snatch his camera away from him. Keitaro however was too quick and easily avoided the cop's swiping hands.
"Still don't trust me, huh Maki?" Keitaro grinned as he held his Bat Shot just out of the impulsive officer's reach. Suddenly a tall figure appeared behind Keitaro, snatching the camera from his hands. Keitaro turned to see a tall man with messy hair that fell down across his forehead and wearing a blue police officer's uniform.
"Your actions could be considered interfering with police business. We could arrest you for that," The tall cop said as he passed the camera to Maki who patted the taller man on the shoulder.
"Excellent work Sanjo-san," Maki grinned in victory at the detective. "Now please escort this interloper away from the scene."
"Yes sir!" The apparent underling cop saluted to his superior as he took Keitaro by the arm. Tatsuma quickly moved to break the two apart.
"Hold it. He's here under my request."
"And also my recommendation, in case you've forgotten," Jinno reminded Maki as he hooked his scratcher around the younger detective's nose and painfully tugged his face forward.
"He has permission to take any photos he needs in order to help with the investigation," Tatsuma explained to Sanjo who released Keitaro and returned his camera without argument.
"Gomen, Detective Tatsuma. I just transferred here from Osaka and I don't quite know the ropes to this Special Unit yet." Sanjo bowed to his superior and then to Keitaro in apology.
"Well…" Keitaro looked over his camera to check for damage and then at the taller man. "Since you got transferred to down here from all the way in Osaka you must be a good cop. Just a bit of advice, learn which superiors you need to honestly take seriously around here 'cause Maki definitely ain't it."
"Hai!" Sanjo saluted in agreement as Makura stared in wide eyed disbelief as an inferior who had previously jumped to his every whim instantly turned against him.
Kanako had been listening in on the exchange between her brother and the police while she helped the other cops keep the onlookers at bay. She was a bit surprised that the police had yet to find any physical evidence remaining of the perpetrator after last night's battle. The Memory used was very powerful and most likely expensive, for all they knew they could be dealing with a new threat concocted by Museum, however…
"Wanton destruction isn't their usual M.O," Kanako muttered to herself. Thinking back, that Dopant didn't seem to have any particular goal. It didn't even attempt to escape even though with the thick cloud cover at night and its speed it could have escaped easy. A lot of things were not adding up.
Kanako was so lost in thought that she barely noticed the shaggy haired man who saddled beside her, gazing fondly at her feminine figure.
"Yo, pretty detective-chan!" The tux clad man snapped Kanako back to reality, waving in greeting and smiling wide.
"Please stay behind the line, sir," Kanako ordered, putting her hand up to stop the man from moving closer. The man threw up his hands in compliance.
"Quite the gruesome scene," The man commented curiously. "A gas leak most likely."
"You'll have to wait for the police to release their report on the matter."
"Perhaps it was one of those Dopants I've heard so much about?" Kanako blinked at the man's comment, not liking his tone. "Makes one wonder how those Gaia Memory things get around so much."
Keitaro had been so busy conversing with Jinno and Maki over the crime scene that he had not been paying attention to Kanako until he noticed her going for her Skull Memory in her pocket and the man she was talking who instigated the action. "Kanako that's the serial killer!" Keitaro warned, drawing Kanako's attention just long enough for the killer to quickly grasp her arm, forcing it behind her back and wrapping his other arm around her neck.
"Don't move!" The Fangire warned as the fang-like projections appeared in midair above him, poised for sinking into Kanako's neck. The other onlookers screamed at the sight of a hostage situation, scattering to get as far away as possible.
"Freeze! Let the girl go, freak!" Jinno demanded as he, Maki, Sanjo and the other police officers aimed their pistols right for the mad eyed killer.
"Stand down, he's got my little sister!" Keitaro explained. Tatsuma forced Jinno to lower his gun, prompting the other cops to do the same.
"Hohohoho!" The murderer chortled as he pulled Kanako's arm back tighter, grinning in glee when she cried out in pain slightly. "Not willing to risk a hostage eh? Good."
"What are your demands?" Tatsuma asked in an attempt to negotiate.
The shaggy haired man licked his lips in expectation. "Oh I don't really want anything from you, I was just feeling peckish is all," He laughed maniacally as his face suddenly broke out in rainbow glass markings and his body began to morph.
"Ba-bakemono!" Jinno called out shocked and fell back on his rear in fright as the stain glass spider designed monster roared threateningly to the startled police force.
"Itadakimasu!" The fangs suddenly flew down, prompting Keitaro and Tatsuma to take out their phones and insert Gadget Memories into them.
"STAG!"
"BEETLE!"
The two cell phones shifted into their mechanical insect like forms, rocketing from their owners' hands and crashing into the projection fangs before they could touch Kanako, knocking them aside. Kanako took this opportunity to stamp down on her captor's foot, causing him to hiss in pain, giving her the slack in his grip to smash her elbow into his stomach, forcing him to release her so she could slip away.
"Everyone pull back, you can't handle this!" Tatsuma ordered the remaining police officers, prompting them all to disperse, not wanting to go up against such a monster.
"So we meet again, Fangire!" Keitaro growled as he and Tatsuma regrouped with Kanako. The detective looked his young sister up and down, making sure she was unharmed, he did not want her ending up like his past victims.
"So, you've figured me out," Spider sneered. "It doesn't change anything!"
"We'll see about that," Tatsuma replied as he took out his Accel Buckle and Memory.
"You're up against 3 Riders this time, not just one," Keitaro agreed as he took out his black Joker Memory. Kanako nodded as she too took out her own Memory and Driver.
"Let's fix that shall we," Spider chuckled as he suddenly shot a string of web from his mouth. The webbing struck Kanako's hand, enwrapping her Skull Memory as the Fangire reeled the Memory from her grasp.
"My Memory!" Kanako cried in shock as Spider waved it at her mockingly.
"We'll get it back," Keitaro reassured her. "It's still two on one. Let's go, Tatsuma!"
"Ah, Urashima!"
"JOKER!"
"ACCEL!"
Keitaro and Tatsuma inserted their Memories into their respective Double and Accel Drivers. Keitaro didn't have to wait long as Phillip added in his end as the green Cyclone Memory appeared in the right slot. Keitaro split the twin slots into a 'W' shape as Tatsuma revved the throttle of his Driver 3 times, prompting it to roar to life like an engine.
"CYCLONE! JOKER!"
Keitaro's body was enwrapped in a mighty green cyclone as the debris it kicked up clung to his body, reshaping into the half green, half black Cyclone-Joker form of Double. Double's white scarf flapped in the massive drafts kicked up by his personal tornado.
"ACCEL!"
At the apex roar of Tatsuma's Driver, a circle of red energy pistons surrounded the cop/Rider. The pistons instantly crashed into Tatsuma's body, covering him in an inferno of red energy that dispersed, revealing the gleaming red armor of Kamen Rider Accel in its trace. Accel's armor was bulky with a silver grill planted across his abdomen, a silver 'A' shaped horn splitting the middle of his blue lens-centered helmet. Thick black tires stuck to Accel's back and the back of his legs. Tatsuma quickly moved for his bike the Diablossa, opening a compartment on its side and retrieving his personal weapon, a large curved sword with a trigger between the blade and its red handle, called the Engine Blade.
Double snapped his fingers together and pointed to the Spider finger. "Saa, omae no tsumi o kazoero!"
Accel flipped open his Engine Blade like a shot gun, inserting a chrome-colored Memory with an 'E' symbol planted across the middle.
"ENGINE!"
"Furikirizae!"
Spider sneered and equipped himself with both his shotgun and short sword, adapting a dual stance with his gun leading. "Come on!"
"Stay on guard, Tatsuma," Double's left half warned. "This guy's nothing like a Dopant, he's even stronger."
"Then we need to bring him down quick," Tatsuma replied squeezing the trigger of his Engine Blade.
"JETSTREAM!"
Accel's blade was cast in red light as white puffs of steam began to seep off it. Accel growled in challenge to the Fangire as he scraped his blade against the ground in an upward slash, sending a bolt of red energy flying through the air toward the Spider Fangire.
Spider crossed his arms in front of him in defense, catching the blast on his dual weapons as he parried the bolt aside. "Like that's gonna phase me!" Spider snarled as he leveled his shotgun at Accel and let loose with a burst of gunfire.
Accel was just able to deflect the blast on his own weapon before another shot rang out. Accel was pinned in place as he had to deflect hail after hail of bullets, all the while Spider was closing in with his sword at the ready. The Fangire was so focused on pinning down his prey that he completely lost track of his other foe.
"Thanks for the diversion, Tatsuma," Keitaro called as he hit a button on the console of the HardBoilder. Twin machine-gun bursts exploded from the HardBoilder's Scramble Cutter Guns.
"What?!" Spider cried out in disbelief as he was hurled back by the powerful hail of bullets.
"Took you long enough!" Tatsuma griped as Double pulled up next to him.
"That attack seemed to be effective though," Phillip commented. "Your cover was most helpful in giving us this opportunity." As the right half of Double explained, as Tatsuma was gearing up his attack on the Fangire he had let loose a minute cloud of steam, just large enough to give Double the cover he needed to slip back to his bike and move it into a position where they could score a hit on the unsuspecting Fangire. The Fangire snarling in pain on the ground before them proved the effectiveness of their ploy.
"Dammit!" Spider snarled as his body suddenly became transparent and faded from sight.
"He's trying to get away!" Keitaro warned as he dismounted the HardBoilder. Tatsuma was a step ahead of him as he squeezed the trigger of his sword once again.
"STEAM!"
Tatsuma's Engine Blade started giving off even more steam as a thick cloud of white mist covered the entire area. The steam settled soon as Accel and Double scanned the cloud, waiting for their foe to reveal himself.
"Gotcha!" Double clicked as he leaped toward a sudden disturbance he spotted moving through the steam. The satisfying impact of his foot hitting face assured him that he had found his target.
"CYCLONE! METAL!"
Keitaro quickly switched out his Joker Memory for his metallic silver Metal Memory, equipping Double with the Metal Shaft. "Time to clear the air!"
"METAL! MAXIMUM DRIVE!"
A cone of green wind wrapped around the tip of the Metal Shaft as Double twirled on the balls of his feet. The Metal Shaft zoomed through the air, kicking up a mini cyclone, dispersing the steam cloud and forcing the Spider Fangire out of his invisibility as he was too focused on keeping his footing against the wind to remain hidden.
"Tatsuma!" Keitaro called as he hefted his weapon up, preparing to bring it down on his foe.
"Ah!"
"ELECTRIC!"
Tatsuma rushed forth with his Engine Blade sparking in blue electricity. The two Riders converged on the Fangire at once. Double, being the closest, was able to smash his energized Metal Shaft across the Fangire's face, sending him sprawling backwards into Accel's waiting blade.
Bang!
The crack of a loud gun resounded as a shower of sparks flew from Accel's chest armor and the Engine Blade fell from his hands.
"What?!" Double exclaimed in shock, just as a second shot got him in the shoulder.
Spider panted in pain, confused as to his sudden rescue.
"Are you just gonna stand there after I saved your dumbass?"
"You're…also a Fangire?" Spider asked in shock, not expecting to find one of his brethren in this city with him. This second Fangire was thick muscled with blue and white stain glass skin. Its face was that of a horse's long muzzle with twin rows of sharp fangs and on its shoulders were a pair of wing like shoulder blades and hoof like guards covering his arms. In the Fangire's hands was a shotgun similar to Spider's.
"And I'm also the guy who's pulling your ass out of the fire, let's just finish them off and get out of here," The horse-like Fangire sneered in confidence. Spider returned the sentiment with a chuckle as he took his fellow's extended hand.
"It seems the situation has become even more complicated," Phillip commented as Double used his Metal Shaft as a staff to prop himself up. Tatsuma had recovered from the surprise attack used on him earlier and was instantly as his comrade's side, ready to take the two Fangires on with Double.
"So much for 2 on 1." Keitaro griped as he held the Metal Shaft at the ready as the two Fangires charged forward.
Yokai Academy
"So were you upset that Wataru-san joined this Anti-Thesis group instead of your Disciplinary Committee, Taiga-san?" Mio Suzuki, a girl with black hair tied into a bun with a few locks framing her face, asked her boyfriend, Taiga Nobori, hoping these recent events had not undermined the relationship between the two brothers.
"Of course not," Taiga assured her as he leaned back against the tree they were sitting under. Currently, the two Fangire Royals were enjoying their break period outside under the shade of a tall tree. Taiga had just caught Mio up on recent events for him and their friends as Mio had been entirely engrossed in studying for her upcoming exams. The young Queen had passed with flying colors and the two were finally having some much deserved alone time. "I'm glad Wataru has chosen a path in his life that he feels benefits the Mazoku as a whole, and in a way that suits him perfectly." Taiga gave a small smile as he lounged with his eyes closed. "I'll be honest. I had looked forward to the event of Wataru and I standing side by side as we worked toward bettering the world but if he is sure of his path then I won't stop him. Besides…" Taiga scratched his head in embarrassment. "I don't exactly have a committee he could join anyway."
"You couldn't find anyone strong enough?" Mio inquired, understanding that there were in fact many strong individuals going to school with them, many of them Wataru and the others had become friends with at one point or another.
"There are a few candidates," Taiga sighed. "But among those I approve and those who refused to join, I was only left with one candidate… Saizo." Taiga grimaced at the thought. Though the orc had steadily improved in personality after starting to admire and befriend the young Kiva, Taiga could not get over the delinquent's past transgressions of assaulting Wataru and basically being all around scum. The feelings were mutual as the orc still remembered the lash of Saga's Jacorder after Taiga had nearly murdered him had Wataru not stepped in. "His strength and spirit are welcome but if it ends up just being the two of us, things may end up…awkward."
"I'm sure you'll find more members soon. You have a knack for drawing people to your side after all," Mio assured him as she hooked her arms around one of his.
"You mean my charisma will help me?" Taiga laughed, pulling her close to him so she could lay her head on his shoulder. "Were you also drawn by my charisma?" He grinned expectantly.
"Maybe," Mio giggled as she lifted her head to his. Taiga gently cradled her chin in his fingers as he brought her lips to meet his.
The two remained locked in a long kiss for several seconds before Taiga broke the kiss looking upwards into the tree above them. His Fangire markings alighted on his face as he glared into the thick canopy.
"I know you're up there. Come down from there this instant!" Taiga snarled as he brought out his Jacorder. A rustling among the branches proved his suspicions as the perpetrator leaped agilely from their hiding spot to land lightly on the ground on all fours.
"Not bad~!" The spy revealed herself as a young girl of about their age as well as the fact that she wore an Academy uniform like Mio. She had short red hair and had a cute hair ornament in the shape of a tiger's face in her hair. Her eyes were a vibrant gold, like those of a jungle cats. "The Fangire King definitely isn't easy to ambush."
"Who are you?" Mio asked, slightly embarrassed that her intimate moment with Taiga had been spied on.
"I see the new Queen's as gentle as the rumors say. You'd hardly believe she was anything like the old Queen whose presence struck fear in all who saw her."
"Enough!" Taiga commanded harshly. "You've made the mistake already of revealing your goal and now you only bury yourself further by insulting my fiancé. You've sealed your fate." Taiga removed the black glove on his right hand, revealing the Mark of the King on the top of his hand. "King's Judgment: Death." Dark energy built into his hand as a pack of vipers burst from his palm, racing straight for the grinning young girl.
Crash!
The snakes had only come inches from entangling the upstart when a crystalline barrier appeared in their path, causing them to crash against the surface and dissipate into shadows.
"That was almost too close." Taiga and Mio stared in shock at the barrier that was apparently strong enough to repel Taiga's power of the King. A young man stepped from the shadows to stand beside the cat-like girl. He was barely two inches taller than his comrade and was thinly built. He had spiky black hair and green eyes. He looked to the grinning girl beside him and sighed. "I thought our plan was to be discreet, Tabitha-san?" He asked tiredly as he shook his head.
She grinned cutely and rubbed the back of her head embarrassed. "Sorry, Souji-kun. He sniffed me out."
"Just who are you two?" Taiga regained his composure and demanded to know the identities of these two youths who so suddenly faced him.
"Apologies, King-sama," The boy named Souji bowed politely. "Believe me when I say this was meant to go a lot…more civilized." He looked tiredly at his grinning companion.
"What are your intentions in facing me like this?" Taiga demanded once again, his hand still posed to attack the two once more.
"I'll explain the short and simple version," The girl, Tabitha cut off her friend just as he opened his mouth to reply. "We want to fight with you two. And if we win, we get to be the new King and Queen of the Fangires!" Her answer was direct, straight to the point and shockingly enough caught the aspiring King and Queen off guard.
"You two are…" Taiga started to say in disbelief.
"Indeed…" Souji replied as his and Tabitha's faces broke out in stain glass colored markings.
"We're Fangires!" Tabitha purred in glee as her body began to shimmer and morph. Her skin had become a vibrant orange-red with black markings. She had a sleek and lithe figure that advertised her agility and athletic prowess as well. Her face was small and feline-like with a pair of cat ears adorning her head. Both her hands were adorned with a pair of long hooked claws. "Fight me!" She crowed happily as she leaped straight for Mio.
"Sagark!"
"Henshin!"
In a flash of silver and blue, Taiga had been adorned in the regal silver armor of Saga and rushed to his girlfriend's side, taking her in his arms as he carried her out of Tabitha's war path.
"Arigato," Mio thanked Saga as he let her down gently.
"Again you act too hastily, Tabitha-san." Souji rubbed his temple as if he was nursing a headache as he too began to change. His body had become bulkier and was covered in a jet black insectoid exoskeleton. His chest was adorned with a metallic shield that covered most of his upper body. A pair of thick pincers and a rhino-like horn adorned his face. He stood tall with his hands behind his back as he stood beside Tabitha. "Like she said, please fight us, King-sama, Queen-sama."
"More upstarts pining for the throne. Mio-san, please step back." Saga readied his Jacorder in rapier mode, however Mio took his arm before he could rush the two Fangire brats.
"No, Taiga-san. They challenged both of us. I have to fight too," Mio explained as she stepped in front of Saga, crossed her arms in front of her chest, summoning her blue Fangire markings to her face as a dark blue bat symbol appeared in the air behind her. Her body shimmered and changed as her skin was covered in a navy blue carapace designed after a gothic dress. Her face was centered by a single white pearl. "Rather, I want to fight too!"
"Good! Now I have an opponent!" Tabitha whooped as she got on all fours and began pacing to the side, Mio following her as the two women squared off, leaving Saga and Souji.
"At the very least this is going right," Souji sighed in relief as he summoned a short sword to his side. Saga took up a dueling stance as the two stepped toward each other slowly.
"When this is over, I expect a full explanation of who you two really are," Saga demanded.
"Naturally. En garde!"
Saga made the first move as he quickly stepped in, stabbing for his foe's eyes, but his attack was skillfully parried by Souji who redirected Saga's Jacorder so that his swipe went over his head. He then took advantage of Saga's open guard to slam his palm into the King's chest, sending him skidding backwards several feet.
"Very skillful," Saga panted. "But no imagination." Souji tilted his head to the side in confusion until he felt a tugging on his ankle.
Somehow, during their exchange, Saga had switched his Jacorder to Bute mode and ensnared Souji's ankle before he counter-attacked Saga's stab. Saga gave a mighty tug on his Jacorder, flinging Souji off his feet and flipping him over in midair to land face first in the dirt. Saga retrieved his whip and returned it to Rod Mode as he stood over his coughing foe who was picking himself up out of the dirt.
"Yield," Saga demanded as he pointed his weapon at the Beetle Fangire's face. The young Fangire said nothing, only staring up at Saga intently. He suddenly stabbed upward, releasing his grip on his sword so that it was sent flying from his hand. "Really, that's your defiant last attack?" Saga asked unimpressed as he lazily turned his head to the side to avoid the blade turned projectile.
Slash!
"Argh!" The Fangire King buckled forward as he felt a stabbing pain shoot through his side. He was quickly struck again in the back. Saga finally felt a gust of wind coming from his right so he quickly rolled away before he was cut again. He finally saw what had been attacking him. Souji's sword! "How?!" Saga gasped as he looked to Souji who was standing perfectly still where Saga left him, his hands held out before him and staring intently at his sword that was spinning through the air straight toward him.
Shing!
In the instant before the sword hit Souji, a sheen of light like glass appeared in the sword's path, causing it to rebound off the light shield and fly back towards Saga. The Fangire King weaved his torso to the side, the sword passing by his head by an inch. The sword flew through the air once more until another shield appeared in midair to intercept it once more. Saga was still recovering from his previous dodge and was unable to dodge as the sword got him in the back once again.
"Believe it or not it's not a very convenient technique," Souji explained as he caught his sword in midair. "I have to concentrate which also means I can't move otherwise."
Saga groaned as he pulled himself back onto his feet, Jacorder in hand. "Thanks for the insight. I'll take that into consideration next time."
As the two men were fighting, their female counterparts were in the process of squaring off themselves. Tabitha was utilizing her agility and speed to keep the Fangire Queen on her toes. Only by use of her pearls was Mio able to keep the hasty Fangire back. Tabitha however was growing frustrated by her opponent's passive style of fighting.
"Let me get close!" She demanded angrily as she had to leap back from another buck shot of pearls.
"I don't think you're supposed to ask your opponent to let you hit them," Mio replied, confused by her opponent's childish antics. She seemed down-right blood thirsty at first, but as their fight progressed she was becoming more and more frustrated to the point where she almost seemed like she was throwing a tantrum because things weren't going her way.
"Do you…really think you can be Queen?" Mio asked, unsure of Tabitha's real motives for fighting her. The previous Queen, Maya, was a woman of noble bearing and pride, who was known for explosive bursts of anger but very rarely and certainly not for such childish reasons. She and Taiga were rearing Mio to be a Queen of similarly commendable stature, but this girl…
"Souji-kun said that when we meet the current King and Queen we would have to fight them. He didn't really say why and I didn't really care to listen, I just wanted to meet you two!" Tabitha purred as she popped her knuckles expectantly. "Getting to fight you is just icing on the cake."
"Wait? That doesn't make any-" Mio started, confused even further.
"You're open!" Tabitha suddenly cut her off, taking the initiative as Mio had stopped with her repeated counter offensive. She quickly pounced toward the Fangire Queen, landing right in arm's length of her. Mio was in no position to attack with her pearls and this was clearly the energetic young woman's range. "Gotcha!" Tabitha spun on the balls of her foot as she brought her leg around in a reverse roundhouse kick. Mio could only bring both her arms in time to block but the power behind the kick sent a shock through her arms that almost numbed them.
"Hnngh!" Mio had to bite back her cry of pain as her arms stung from the heavy blow they barely blocked.
"More where that came from!" Tabitha assured as she raised both of her arms beside her.
Slash!
"Kyaaa!" Mio could not stop from crying out this time as Tabitha's claws scraped across her shell covered arms. The wild Fangire girl continued to swipe furiously as her claws sliced through the air in front of her, the sharp blades on her fist cut deep in Mio's blocking arms.
"Mio-san!" Saga heard Mio cry of pain and turned his attention toward where she was fighting.
"Please look this way!" Saga turned his head back to Souji who had taken advantage of the Fangire Royal's distracted state to level his sword at his throat. "Do you have so little faith in your Queen?" Souji inquired speculatively.
"Mio-san has very little experience fighting. It should have been enough for you two to just fight me!" Saga argued as he shoved Souji's blade aside with his hand and slashed at the Beetle Fangire's chest, sending sparks flying up as he gouged a mark into the metallic shield covering Souji's chest. Souji dropped his guard slightly from the pain shooting through his chest, giving Saga the opportunity to make some range by forcing his foot into the Fangire's chest and sending him sprawling back several feet.
'Taiga-san.' Mio saw her betrothed fighting vigorously despite still worrying over her. He was giving his all, and as his Queen she should do no less.
"C'mon, put up a fight!" Tabitha demanded as she swiped an 'X' slash across Mio's block. The swipe apparently succeeded in making the Queen give out as her arms fell apart. "There we go!" Tabitha brought her fist back, preparing to finish her prey with a blow fired full into her face.
Pow!
"Wha-?" Tabitha stood confused for several seconds, not knowing what had happened.
"I…admit you're a …much better fighter…than me," Mio panted, her fist pressed deeply into Tabitha's cheek. "But I have to protect the pride Taiga-san, Maya-san and the others instilled in me. The pride of the Fangire Queen!" Mio brought her other fist around, directly into Tabitha's chin. The swing was wild, untrained and less than compact. However, it was fairly affective enough to send the wild girl's head bouncing up.
"Ow! That hurt, jerk!" Tabitha turned back on Mio angrily, smashing her own fist into Mio's cheek in retaliation. Mio stepped back groggily but her knees did not buckle and she forced herself to move back in.
"I won't quit!" Another blow to Tabitha's own cheek. Tabitha retaliated with a blow to Mio's stomach that bent her forwards.
"Fall down already!"
"No!"
Saga and Souji had long since stopped fighting to stare in disbelief at the sight of their female companions once the passive fight that quickly turned in Tabitha's favor had now degenerated into a hitting match that both girls refused to give up on.
"I'm never seen anyone go toe to toe with Tabitha-san like that," Souji stated stunned. "Even I stand no chance in a straightforward exchange of blows."
"Mio-san…" Saga watched his fiancé struggle as his eyes behind his mask softened with growing affection. She was becoming bruised, her fighting was down, dirty and so beneath a Fangire Royal that his own mother would pass out in shock from seeing it. But right now, his gentle, obedient and usually coddled Mio was fighting with all her pride on the line, and to him, she became truly radiant.
"Now I'm the one being caught up in your charisma," Saga muttered to himself as he brought the Fuestle from his belt.
"WAKE UP!"
Saga inserted the butt of his Jacorder into the slot on the side of Sagark's head, filling the blade of his weapon with red energy.
"It seems we have come to the final exchange. Very well." Souji pulled his blade back with his open hand forward. A circular pane of light formed from his palm, becoming a mirror like shield to accompany his sword.
"It ends here," Saga replied coldly as he lifted his energized weapon to eye level and lowered it down in challenge. The two men stared each other down, neither moving just yet. Only the sounds of the exchange behind them became their focus as both girls brought their fist up once more.
"I'll get you!" Tabitha screamed as she struck forward for Mio's face.
"I won't lose!" Mio proclaimed as her fist flew forward to meet Tabitha's.
"Now!" Saga took a mighty step forward as he lunged with his Jacorder, sending it snaking forward.
"Useless!" Souji had his shield raised and ready, prepared to deflect the extending blade and using the chance before it retracted to strike down the Fangire Royal. However, his opponent's blade did not follow the path he expected, instead of smashing against his light shield, the energized snaking blade buried itself into the ground, at Souji's feet.
"What in the world!?" Souji exclaimed in disbelief, not expecting his proud foe to botch his finisher like that. Saga however was not focused on Souji anymore, instead he had run back to the tree where he and Mio had been sitting and was rapidly wrapping his Jacorder around one of the tree's thick branches. "What on Earth are you doing?"
"Winning this fight," Saga replied confidently. Saga was about to inquire in reply when he heard a rumbling of earth coming from behind him. He turned just as the lashing head of a red snake sprang right for him, ensnaring his throat.
"You…you sent your attack underground so it could get behind!" Souji cried in shock as he dropped his sword and shield in surprise, struggling with the long cord wrapped around his neck.
"Indeed, now…" Saga brought his foot up into the air above him, using his other leg to send him springing into the air. "Todomeda!" He flipped in mid-air and come crashing back down to Earth in his own variant of Kiva's Darkness Moon Break. His foot smashed into Souji's armored chest as his floored the Beetle Fangire, causing a crater in the shape of the King's symbol to form on the ground.
"Ow…" Mio and Tabitha's last two punches had predictably landed simultaneously, leaving both Fangire females frozen in place with one another's fist planted into their respective cheeks. They both finally fell apart, reverting into their human forms in the process. They were both bruised, exhausted and hurting as they stared each other down from sitting positions in the grass. Finally, Tabitha was the first to stop panting as she took in a big breath of air.
"Hmhmhm."
Mio cocked her head to the side as she looked to her opponent warily. Tabitha's whole body shook as her eyes closed and an extremely happy and toothy grin spread across her face.
"Heeheeeheeeheeheheh!" The wild girl had suddenly broken down into wild giggles, leaving Saga, who had de-henshined and rushed to Mio's side to check her wounds, utterly confused. "That was so awesome. I've never had a fight that fun before. You must be the strongest Queen ever, just like I knew you'd be!"
"Eh?" Mio replied in confusion as Taiga helped her to her feet. "You knew I was strong before we fought?"
"Indeed, you are both just as, if not far stronger than either of us envisioned. Truly worthy of your ranks." Souji had also de-transformed and joined the three, struggling to help his companion up as he was dealing with the striking pain in his chest. Tabitha in the end had to support him to stand as much as he did for her.
"Alright, I'm tired of all this bullshitting!" Taiga was finally starting to lose him composure under the two's random as well as inconsistent antics. "I want to know just who you two are and I want to know, now!"
Souji and Tabitha looked to each other, smiling to each other as if they had confirmed something. The two helped each other down as Souji took a knee, one arm over his chest and the other propped up to support him. Tabitha followed his lead but instead of posturing she sat on her knees and sat obediently with her hands planted on her legs. "Taiga-sama…no, King-sama!" Souji proclaimed respectfully. "We would like to apologize for our rudeness and ask for your forgiveness from the bottom of our hearts. Our intentions were pure and by no means were we intending to overturn your rule."
"So, does this mean you two respect and trust Taiga-san as King?" Mio asked.
"That's right Queen-sama!" Tabitha replied cheerfully. "We don't think anyone is more worthy to be King than Taiga-sama." She had adopted a respectfully tone as Souji had but still retained a bit of her wild personality beneath it.
"We wished to see our future ruler's strength for ourselves, so we might better understand the power of the masters we are destined to serve."
"Destined to serve?" Taiga asked confused, at first. Suddenly his eyes widened as he looked to the mark on his hand, the King's symbol of the Checkmate Four. "Are you two…?"
Souji and Tabitha nodded as they revealed the marks on the palms of their hands. "It would be our extreme pleasure and honor to serve as your new Rook and Bishop, King and Queen of the Checkmate Four."
Tokyo
Kanako could do nothing but watch helplessly from a safe distance as her brother and comrade fought the two malicious Fangires. They were having trouble just bringing one down together, but now bruised and tired, the two were forced to square off against the superior kaijin separately, worst being Tatsuma who was forced to take on the interloping Zebra Fangire who was still fresh for the fight. Kanako could only clench her fist in frustration as the blue monster easily parried one of Accel's slashes only to counter with one of his own.
"Is that the best the Riders of this city can do?" Zebra mocked as Tatsuma was forced to step back after getting cut across his chest armor again.
"Don't take Kamen Riders lightly!" Accel snarled as he removed the buckle from his waist and flipped into the air. His body suddenly morphed as the wheels on his legs combined, as did the wheels on his shoulders. Accel laid out torso down as his hands gripped his buckle like the throttle of a motorcycle. Accel, now in Bike Mode, revved his engine three times, activating his Maximum Drive.
"ENGINE! MAXIMUM DRIVE!"
Accel roared as the boosters from his legs spewed flames and charged ahead for the waiting Fangire.
"Uuuuuurrrraaaagh!" Zebra tossed his sword away and squared his stance as Accel slammed into him. The Zebra Fangire skidded across the ground for several second before Zebra got his feet back under him. Tatsuma could barely call out in shock before his charge was suddenly halted and his heavy Bike Mode was lifted clear off the ground, both wheels still spinning. "Not good enough!" Zebra cried as he tossed Accel away, slamming him into the far wall of a building where he collapsed back into Rider form.
"Tatsuma!" Keitaro called out as he struggled against Spider's sword with his Metal Shaft.
"Keitaro, we need more raw power in order to deal with these Fangires!" Phillip proclaimed as he removed Double's right hand from their weapon, removed the Cyclone Memory and replaced it with Heat Memory.
"HEAT-METAL!"
Double's body built up melting pint levels of heat energy within his hands, sending it flowing into his staff. The blaze permeated across the two's contact, forcing Spider to back away before he was scalded by just the close proximity of his foe.
"Now we got some room to work with!" Double declared confidently as his fist built up heat energy which he slammed into Spider's face, causing the Fangire to howl in pain as his head caught fire. Double decided to make use of his foe's temporary blindness to move in on Zebra who now towered over the fallen Accel with his sword raised. "Tatsuma!"
Accel raised his head just in time to see Double reach his Engine Blade, hook his foot under it and punt it his way. Zebra was seconds from bringing a helm-splitting slash down on Accel before the blade reached Accel's waiting hand.
Clang!
Zebra growled in frustration as Accel had lifted his Engine Blade up just in time block his sword mid-fall. The blue-skinned Fangire was so caught up in forcing his blade to follow his chosen path that he didn't see Double dive toward him, staff ablaze at the tip.
"Uragh!" Zebra rolled across the ground, a smoldering mark struck into his chest. Double helped Accel to his feet as both Riders held their weapons at the ready to take on the Fangire together, until…
"Well isn't this a familiar position." Double and Accel froze in place at the snide remark. Spider, having recovered from Double setting his face on fire, had quickly taken advantage left to him. The only hostage left in the area.
"I'm sorry, Double nii-san," Kanako apologized, Spider's arms wrapped around her stomach and his sword at her throat. "If only I still had my Skull Memory."
"It'll be alright, Kanako! I'm coming!"
"Please don't try anything," Spider sighed, carefully sliding his sword across Kanako's neck, drawing a little blood, Double froze in his tracks, though on the inside he was seething. "Drop your weapons, now!"
Double didn't hesitate as he threw down his Metal Shaft. Accel growled in helpless frustration, but did the same with his Engine Blade.
"Good call, partner," Zebra laughed as he stepped up to both Double and Accel, kicking the red Rider in the back of his knees so he'd fall forward. He then held his own sword at Accel's throat.
"So, now you get to choose, Double-kun," Spider sneered. "You can pick up your weapon and maybe take one of us out…after we kill both hostages. Or…I have actually become quite curious over these "Gaia Memories" and I am looking to expand my collection. From what I can see you have quite the collection. De-transform and drop all of your Memories on the ground at my feet."
"Don't do it!" Kanako begged, vainly attempting to struggle under Spider's hold.
"Urashima…forget me. Save Kanako," Accel said, pleaded though the pain in his voice belied his inner turmoil. Double stood silent in the middle of it all. On one side, he could possibly save at least one hostage, but he could never choose between his little sister and one of his best friends and comrades. Even if the city did need Double, Double could not make such a personal sacrifice for the city. Both Keitaro and Phillip's hands went to the handles of their belts, the two brothers were in accord of their choice. However…
Btooom! Btooom!
Spider and Zebra were suddenly both knocked back by twin bursts of some kind of explosive projectile. Kanako and Accel were stunned by their sudden luck. Double was already reacting and rushing to Kanako's side as Accel picked up his Engine Blade to rejoin his comrades.
"What the hell is it now!?" Spider snarled in disbelief, his victory once again snatched from him. The assembled fighters suddenly saw the individual walking slowly toward them. He was clad in a black vest over a white shirt and wearing jeans. Slung over his shoulder was an electronic looking belt and in his hand, pointing directly at the Fangires, was what appeared to be a golden knuckle weapon.
"Fangires, Kami ni kaeshinasai," The man demanded as he suddenly wrapped the buckle around his waist, stuck the knuckle into his palm, and flung the knuckle holding arm out to the side and attached to it to his belt.
"Henshin."
"FIST ON!"
A gold cross projection suddenly shot forth from the belt, falling over the mysterious man's body and clothing him in a gold shell that suddenly hardened into pure white armor with a black body suit underneath the white armor and a silver chestpiece with the image of the sun stamped on it. The Rider's golden cross shaped visor suddenly split apart, revealing piercing red eyes.
"IXA?!" Spider called in disbelief.
"Why is he here?!" Zebra exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet, gun in hand. The Fangire leveled his weapon but the apparently named IXA reacted faster as he equipped himself with a black revolver with a white grip and magazine. Zebra's gun was shot straight from his hands as a burst of automatic fire erupted from IXA's weapon.
"Fangires…surrender," IXA demanded, albeit half-heartedly by Double's opinion.
"As if!" Spider spat, raising his sword high and charging, despite the warning calls of his partner. IXA pressed his hand to the bottom of his gun's magazine, forcing the attachment up and prompting a long blade to expand the head of the weapon. IXA met the Fangire's enraged charge with a skillful parry and a disarming slash that knocked the weapon from his hands. IXA slammed his boot into the Spider Fangire's chest, sending him skidding backwards to his ally's feet.
"Forget it!" Zebra snarled as he forced his murderous ally to his feet. "We can't take IXA and those other two in the rates we're in now. We'll fall back for now." Zebra got a good grip on his comrade and from behind his back he pulled out what appeared to be a gray canister. He popped the pin loose from his weapon and loosed it toward IXA and the others. The area was suddenly covered in smoke as the Riders and Kanako covered their eyes and mouths from the smog.
"It's not tear gas," Accel deduced as he wafted the gas away. "They threw up a cover to escape."
"And sadly they succeeded," IXA added as he made his way toward the three.
"They called you IXA, right?" Keitaro asked as he and Tatsuma de-transformed.
"Yes, though…" IXA followed suit and dropped his own armor. The three now got a look at the man's face. He had dark hair and a very serious expression. He appeared to be around their age if not a year or two younger. "We have worked together before."
"Can't be…" Keitaro muttered as realization hit him. "Nago…Keisuke?"
"Indeed. It's been sometime, Keitaro Urashima."
"You two know each other?" Tatsuma asked, confused.
"We've only met once, during a case, years ago," Keitaro explained.
"And as promised I am here to aid you as you did me," Nago bowed respectfully. "It seems my new line of work may be of use to you, seeing as your city and mine are facing a similar pest problem."
"You mean you can help us fight those Fangires?" Tatsuma inquired, recalling how terrified their foes had been just from IXA's presence.
"The Aozora Corporation's Rider System was bred purely for this task," Nago nodded.
"Well that's good to hear, twice these guys have slipped through our finge-…NOOOOOOOOO!" Keitaro suddenly gripped his head in shock as he stared off to where the Fangires had escaped to. "They got away with Kanako's Skull Memory!" Tatsuma and Kanako both realized the same thing.
"No. I can't believe I lost the Chief's Memory." Kanako lowered her head in shame, vainly attempting to hide her tears.
Zebra led Spider through a series of twisting alleys and back roads in an attempt to put some distance between them and the Riders.
"Dammit, why the hell is IXA here?" Spider cursed as the two finally stopped to rest.
"Who knows, it couldn't have been the reports of a killer whose victims turn to glass after he kills them," Zebra said snidely as the two took their human forms.
"Shut your mouth!" Spider snarled. "There's been an untold number of strange occurrences cropping up in this city!"
"But you forget IXA is a specialist in hunting us down. Just be glad it was him and not that new upstart King or his half-breed brother," Zebra shrugged but winced as he set a hand to his chest where Double had stuck him with his burning weapon.
"Why did you help me anyway?" Spider asked suspiciously. Zebra looked at him wryly and sighed.
"Just as I said; to save your ass, but not just from those Riders."
"Who else should we fear in this city?" Spider inquired, unconvinced of such an answer.
"You're still just a young blood, you wouldn't know about those old stories," Zebra grumbled as he leaned against a nearby wall. "You wouldn't know about the kidnappings from about 20 years ago."
"I do know those stories," Spider argued. "But it was only lower Yokai who were affected by them, what do we superior Mazoku have to fear from those stories?"
"Think idiot!" Zebra snarled as he gripped Spider's hand, holding up the black and purple Skull Memory for him to see. "These little gizmos you're so fascinated in, the ones who kidnapped and killed who knows how many Yokai were the same people who develop and distribute these things."
Spider actually didn't have a retort for that rebuttal, he simply stared wide eyed at the tiny device as if it were a live grenade.
"And you can bet your ass, those human bastards that killed our lesser comrades so many years ago are aware of our kind and would do who knows what to get their grubby paws on "research samples". I'm just making sure it won't be me, and you need to take strides to do the same."
Spider thought over his comrade's words carefully and suddenly seemed struck by an epiphany. "These devices, they're weapons right?" He asked hopefully. "They give humans strange powers don't they? Why don't we just use their weapons against them?!" He held up the Skull Memory in almost pre-triumph.
"That's a solid plan, but that single one you've got is not gonna do you any good," Zebra stated deflating Spider in his moment of glory. "Rumor has it, the Riders of this city use special kinds of Memories the Dopants don't. Chances are you won't be able to turn it on, let alone gain its powers." Zebra suddenly grabbed Spider's arm before he could toss the device away. "Keep it, as long as you've got it there's one less Rider to worry about in this city. But if you want to extend your arsenal…" Zebra reached into his jacket, pulling out a green USB Drive similar to the Rider Memories except it was covered in yellow bone like ridges. "I swiped this from the evidence room of the police department, where I work. Got it off one of those Memory Distributers Accel brought in apparently."
Spider took the offered Gaia Memory, reading the name printed across it.
"Memory...?" Spider seemed perplexed as he looked over the tiny device. "How does it work?"
"Supposedly you just insert it into a part of your body, but I've never tried."
"How come?"
"Word is…these Memories drive most humans who use them off the deep end."
"How unfortunate…if you're human," Spider grinned wickedly as he pocketed the two Memories. "Thanks for everything, soon as I figure out how these things work, maybe I'll be the one saving your ass next." Spider turned on his heels and left the alley, waving over his back to Zebra who had lit himself a cigarette.
"I'll hold you to that," Zebra sneered.
CMR Rosa: I like to apologize to all the reads of this story for how long this chapter take, I promise this story will start updating on a faster rate for now on. Now on to the new Rook and Bishop, that an idea I had for a while back when Rosario to Kiva was still in progress, I though with the old Rook and Bishop gone what if two young fangires inherent there powers. I told Busterleader92 this idea and together we develop these characters and Im glad they finally appear in this story.
Despicable-D: Whoop, I am back! Sorry for the wait guys, with this I should be getting back in the swing of writing again, and should be back to work soon enough! Also, can you tell I like cheesy fighting anime/manga? ;)
Busterleader92: Sorry for the delay, guys I was busy with my time with Chrome and my HW in college. But mostly Chrome's story. But now I'm back and ready to edit the Great Monster Wars.