Nekketsu Robo – Gekiganger 3
Chapter 2: Let's Go Gekiganger 3!
The plans for the Gekiganger machine on the cave wall were astonishingly detailed. Not only did they provide details of every part required, they also guided Professor Kokubunji's technicians, who were quickly called down after the great discovery was made, to the composition of the miraculous Gekiganium alloy used in the robot's construction. Ken, Joe, and Akira watched much of the process, and were surprised at how easily it went.
It turned out, as Professor Kokubunji explained to the students one day, that Gekiganger III was actually divided into three "Gekiga Machines"- the Gekiga Jet, the Gekiga Marine, and the Gekiga Tank. The three machines could combine in three different combinations to form different robots- Gekiganger III, Umiganger, and Rikuganger.
"So when is this invasion supposed to happen?" Ken asked the professor.
"Soon," Professor Kokubunji said. "The writings don't say exactly when… There's no time to waste. Once the machines are complete you must begin training immediately!"
"Us? The three of us? We're going to pilot the Gekiga Machines?" Akira asked incredulously.
"As I said, there's no time. The writings say that three passionate spirits are needed to control Gekiganger III, and from what I've heard, you three are the best qualified I know," the Professor replied. "Of course, you can refuse… but by the time we find a replacement, Earth may already be under attack."
"I'll do it!" Ken said, giving the professor a thumb up and a confident smile. "If the Earth needs defending I'll be there!"
"…In that case," Joe said after a bit of thought, "I'll agree as well. Somebody has to keep him in check…"
"If the Earth's in trouble," Akira said with a grin, "I'll protect it!"
Professor Kokubunji looked over the new pilots with an approving look. "Very well! From now on, you three are the Gekigan Team. You should move into my lab so you'll be ready to go anytime… I'll introduce you to my kids while you're there. I'm sure Nanako will appreciate having you around..."
Soon enough, the Gekiga Machines were finished and the pilots were invited to the Kokubunji Hyper Laboratory to take a look at the finished products. The lab building was situated on the coast, giving it an excellent ocean view. It was equipped with a roof antenna as well as a sizable hangar- perfect for Gekiganger. Waiting in front of the laboratory were Professor Kokubunji's children- a striking brown-haired young lady and a small boy wearing an orange shirt emblazoned with the letter J.
"You must be Nanako," Joe said, walking up to her with a soft smile. "I'm Joe Umitsubame, one of your new pilots…"
"When did he get so sentimental?!" Ken complained to himself.
"Yes, I'm Nanako Kokubunji," Nanako said. "And this is Junpei," she said, indicating the boy beside her.
"Hiya!" Junpei said with a wave, before turning to greet Professor Kokubunji.
"Come with me, Ken… Joe… Akira!" the professor commanded. "We're heading down to the hangar now!"
As the team rode the elevator down to the hangar, Professor Kokubunji explained their roles to them.
"Ken, you'll be running the Gekiga Jet and Gekiganger III. Joe, you'll take the Gekiga Marine and control Umiganger. And Akira, yours will be the Gekiga Tank and Rikuganger." Each pilot nodded as the professor addressed them.
"The controls are simple; you can almost control the machines just by instinct," the professor continued. "Just treat it as an extension of yourself and you'll do fine. The special abilities are clearly labeled so you can just use them when you need them."
The elevator stopped in front of a large window looking down at the runways where the three machines sat. "On the left are the machines that will suit you up," the professor informed the pilots. He turned to Akira and frowned. "Er… Akira, I honestly don't think the machine is calibrated for someone of your build…" Akira grumbled at this, but soon laughed, "Hey Professor, that's great… I like my own clothes anyway!" He patted his stomach appreciatively.
Ken and Joe stepped into the machine and a screen dropped in front of each of them. They were scanned and measured, their civilian clothes were removed, and new clothes were wrapped around them tightly- Ken in shades of blue with some ragged edges befitting his image, Joe in bright red with long white gloves and boots. The final touch for Ken was a belt buckle in the shape of the Gekiganger III symbol- a gold G around a red III. Joe simply grabbed his white scarf and replaced it around his neck.
Soon the pilots were all settled in their machines. The professor walked them through the setup procedures over the radio. "Now, we'll do this one at a time… Ken, you go first."
"Roger!" Ken answered. "Gekiga Jet, launch!" In a flash of flames, the Gekiga Jet took off from its runway towards the skies.
"All right!" Ken exclaimed as he climbed, holding the control levers tightly. "You're right, Professor, this is easy!"
"Excellent, you're doing well…" the Professor said, watching the readouts in the lab. Ken's vital readings were solid, though his heart was racing. "Joe, your turn now!"
"Right," Joe confirmed. "Launching Gekiga Marine!"
The Gekiga Marine powered into the water, through a tunnel leading out into the ocean. Joe quickly moved the machine to the surface to check on Ken's progress.
"Hey Ken, this thing's just as good underwater as yours is in the air," Joe boasted. "Maybe I'll stick some wings on it and…"
"Get a grip! We're a team, right?!" shouted Akira as he roared out of the lab in the Gekiga Tank, racing along the shore- the professor had let him go while Joe was talking. "Everything looks good here, Professor!"
"Right," the Professor said, checking his displays again. "Now, Tensai," he said turning to a technician, "we should be ready for-"
Nanako and Junpei ran into the control room in a panic. "Father!" Nanako exclaimed. "On TV- there's a monster attacking Tokyo!"
"The defense force can't handle it!" Junpei added. "We have to send Gekiganger!"
Turning on a small TV screen in the control room, Professor Kokubunji watched in shock as a great flying serpentlike beast with long fins shot down several fighter planes with lights shot from its eyes. "Ken! Joe! Akira!" he called over the radio. "Time for your first real battle! Tokyo's under attack, do you think you three can handle it?"
"Leave it to me!" Ken said with a pump of his fist. He immediately changed course for the city.
"Uh, you mean us, right?" Akira asked.
"No, he means him, you should know him better than that," Joe quipped. "Akira, your Rikuganger's supposed to be strong, so you should take the lead first. If they resist I'll wear them down with Umiganger."
"And what about me and Gekiganger?" Ken asked, annoyed that Joe was making the plans.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Joe replied with a smile.
With their powerful engines the Gekiga Machines arrived quickly at the scene. The resistance had been easily thwarted and the beast was busily striking down buildings in its path.
"Hey!" Ken shouted at the monster as he flew past it. "Your little rampage is over! Gekiganger III's here to…" The beast's tail swiped at the Gekiga Jet, but Ken was able to dodge, heading towards the sea.
"It can't understand you… probably can't even hear you," Joe commented. "Let's just go with the plan, okay?"
"Hey," Akira said. "We need to have some kind of cool phrase to say when we combine right? All the TV shows do it!"
"No… no we don't." Joe said firmly.
"Fine… Combining in 3… 2… 1!"
All three pilots pushed the large red button on their consoles hard to begin the process of forming Rikuganger. The Gekiga Marine shot out of the water into the sky towards the Gekiga Jet.
"You'd better catch me, Ken!" Joe said as he approached. Ken grumbled but positioned himself for the Gekiga Marine to slam into his back- forming the body and legs of Rikuganger. By this point, the Gekiga Tank had already launched itself into the air and came down atop the other machines- Rikuganger was complete, and Akira was in control.
The monster, which paid little notice to the machines before, came down upon Rikuganger almost as soon as it was formed.
"Let's get to business! Come here!" Akira shouted. The monster roared and dove toward Rikuganger. Akira used the robot's great strength to pick up a train car that the monster had previously totaled and throw it towards the monster. With a cry, it fired its eye beams and obliterated the car. But by that time, Rikuganger was at the other end of the monster, holding it by the tail.
"Musashi's Hell Throw!!" Akira cried, swinging the monster toward the ground- but it gave a great tug and the end of its tail ripped loose! Sparks flew as machinery was exposed inside the monster.
"A mechanical monster?!" Ken exclaimed. "But who built it?"
"No time for that right now," Joe said. "Here it comes again!"
The monster turned and fired at Rikuganger, but it dropped into tank mode. "Now how about this? Gekigan Bomber!" Pushing a button on the console, Akira fired missiles from the back of Rikuganger, which were easily shot down by the monster's beams. "Aagh! Nothing's working!" Akira complained.
"I think it's time to change to Umiganger," Joe suggested. "Maybe I can hold it…"
The monster made a lunge toward Rikuganger, but the machines split just in time. Now, the Gekiga Jet combined with the Gekiga Tank to form a body and legs, while the Gekiga Marine formed the head and arms of Umiganger.
"This mecha-monster won't be able to match my speed. Gekigan Vision!" Joe exclaimed, and Umiganger seemed to vanish, reappearing atop the monster. It grabbed the enemy's back with one hand.
"Now- Gekigan Shock!" Joe shouted, sending electicity from the hand of Umiganger. There didn't seem to be any effect- in fact, Joe could see the tail of the mecha-monster beginning to rebuild itself. The monster's head turned and fired at Umiganger, grazing its side. Akira cried out in surprise. "I'm okay," he added, knowing the others would be worried. "Joe, you think maybe we should form Gekiganger now?"
"No… I've got this!" Joe replied. "Gekigan Vision!" Again Umiganger vanished in a burst of speed, but as it reappeared the monster wrapped its body around the robot. "A-all right! Ken… your move now!"
Again the machines split, getting out from the monster's grip.
"Hey! I came up with that phrase you wanted, Akira!" Ken said happily, pointing towards the combine button again. "Everyone ready?"
"Let's…" he yelled,
"Gekiga…"
"IN!"
With this, the three pilots pushed the buttons- Joe only doing so by reflex as he called out, "Let's Gekiga In?! What does that even mean?"
Despite Joe's feelings the Gekiga Marine was able to link with the Gekiga Jet, followed by the Gekiga Tank. With a flash of lightning, Gekiganger III was finally formed.
"This is more like it!" Ken said, gripping the controls eagerly. "Now we can take this monster down!"
Gekiganger hovered in front of the monster, as if to stare it down.
"You have your eye beams, we have ours… Gekigan Beam!" Ken announced, firing rays from Gekiganger's eyes. The beast responded by firing its own beams- the two clashed and dissipated into the air.
"Look out, Ken, it's going to come for us again!" Akira said, looking up towards the others (though obviously it didn't matter where he looked).
"Almost…" Ken said, narrowing his eyes as the monster flew towards Gekiganger. It came closer, preparing to crush Gekiganger in its coils…
"GEKIGAN SWOOOOORRRRRRD!" Ken called, producing a sword from the hand of Gekiganger III and bringing it down into the face of the enemy. The monster's tough facial armor resisted the blow and it pushed forward, driving Gekiganger back.
Then, Ken heard Nanako's voice. "Don't give up, Ken!" she said. "You can do it!"
"Right!" Ken said with a nod. "Here I go! NEKKETSU-GIRI!" Pushing forward with all his might, Ken brought the Gekigan Sword through the monster's head- in a great explosion the mechanical monster was destroyed.
The people couldn't believe their eyes. Just when it seemed there was no hope, a heroic robot appeared to rescue them. As they stepped out into the sun, the question everyone wanted the answer to was: "What is Gekiganger III?"
Back at the lab, the Professor and his family greeted the team happily.
"Excellent job out there from all of you," the Professor said with a wave. "This may be the beginning of the Kyo'akk invasion we've been warned about, and I'm convinced you're ready for it now."
"Thanks," Ken said. "Together we'll stop anyone who threatens the Earth!"
"Still…" Joe said. "I can't say I accept the choice of Ken as the leader. Sure, he's strong, but it doesn't seem like he had any plan of his own…"
"You don't need a plan to fight something like that!" Ken yelled, rounding on Joe.
"Oh no, they're at it again…" Akira said with a shrug.
Far above Earth, a monstrous base, looking more like a dragon than a ship, was watching the planet. Aboard was Prince Akara of the Kyo'akk Empire, charged with leading the mechanical army that would invade Earth. He watched the defeat of the monster and was displeased. "Our mechanical beast, Gorgeous A7, was defeated? Gekiganger III… that could only be the revenge of the Super-Paleolithic people upon us. Well, I'll take that challenge head-on. Gekiganger III, consider yourself marked for death!"
