The White Baboon Imagin leapt through the city before arriving in the park. Leaning against a tree was a man wearing a dark blue shirt beneath a blue jacket, and black pants. He had short black hair and slanted, red eyes. "They're stronger than we thought and there's another one now," reported the Imagin. "What should we do, Tatsuya?"
"There's another of those damn Riders!" the man growled. "Damn it! Nanimo didn't mention that more would be showing up!"
"Calm yourself, Hirakawa-san," said a new voice. This one was cold and emotionless, and had the effect of metal scraping against metal. All the two could see was the figure's silhouette. "All this means is that you'll need to take a different approach." Three shadows appeared behind the figure. "Baboon, take these three Imagin. They will deal with the other Riders, you, however, have a special job."
"And what's that?" questioned the Imagin.
"You get to possess Ifrit, and use him to destroy the others. You can kill the rest of them, but I want the Wolf Rider brought to me."
"Why?" asked Tatsuya.
"I have something special planned for him…" he said mysteriously before vanishing.
"A HUMAN HEART IN A MONSTER'S SHELL"
Ryuji wore a wide smile and lightly purred at the memories of the little vacation he and the group had gone on at the onsen. The water of the hot springs was filled with minerals that were healthy for human skin.
Of course, it wasn't the hot springs that had him smiling; it was what he and Kotonoha had done in the hot springs that had him grinning like an idiot. She had come into the room he shared with the boys, quite early in the morning before the sun even rose, and woke him up with a kiss. She also teased him about his purring which was just so adorable for him. If anyone knew he purred, then his reputation as a tough guy would be ruined.
They had gone into one of the pools and started making out. Then, she'd mounted him and both of them made sweet love to each other. Doing it in the water had been an extremely different and pleasurable experience. As soon as they'd climaxed and bathed in the afterglow of their intimacy. The sun had risen and they both watched it before they got out and dressed and gave each other another kiss good morning.
During breakfast, he'd caught Warren and Kenzaki grinning at him. Of course they would know about it. Somehow they could sense/smell it off him.
They'd stayed in the onsen again on Sunday but had to leave later in the evening. They had homework they needed to finish. Ryuji actually slept the whole way, much to Makoto and Taisuke's relief and also worry since if they ever woke him up he would be really furious with them. Extremely furious.
"Hey, you seem awfully happy," said Kenzaki as he and Neko arrived at the train station where they would take the train to school. "I wonder why?"
Ryuji's smile turned into a scowl as he turned away, hiding his reddening cheeks. "Urusei, teme," he muttered. He didn't feel like talking.
"Oh, stop teasing him Ken-kun," Neko scolded. "You're just jealous because he's getting some!"
Now it was Kenzaki's turn to blush as Ryuji smirked in amusement. "Neko, it's not like that!" Kenzaki tried to deny but well his words didn't hold much substance right now. "You're never gonna let that go, are you?" he sighed.
"Nope," said Neko with a mischievous grin.
The train came along and the trio went inside of the train. For some reason Makoto wasn't waiting at the station. Maybe he'd left early or decided to take the bus instead. Well, for whatever reason, Makoto's face wasn't the one he was looking forward to seeing in the morning.
The train made another stop and this time Ryuji's eyes brightened as Kotonoha entered. She walked over to him and sat down next to him, resting her head against his shoulder as he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her close.
"Good morning," she said, yawning.
"You seem tired," remarked Ryuji.
"Oh, I had to stay up late to finish some of the homework," she replied. "And helping Kokoro-chan with hers too."
"I see…"
Kenzaki and Neko were in seats across from the couple. Neko smiled at seeing Ryuji so happy. It was so much different from the way he used to be in the past, the time when he always thought he was nothing but an evil consciousness. He was different now. His temper was still there but he would never blow up irrationally. He would get angry if he was annoyed and whenever Kotonoha was harmed in anyway. Ryuji was becoming more and more like his Yang half, in a way, except that he had a tendency to insult people which Ryuki never did unless provoked.
It was a surprise for her when she found out Ryuji was Kotonoha's assistant and was actually capable at doing his job. Though plenty of his classmates disliked him, they could do nothing about it since his reputation pretty much scared them out of doing anything that would ultimately lead to their own pain as well. It was safer for them to just watch as he and Kotonoha became close. A few boys in her class had eyes for her but they never had the nerve to do anything. Ryuji was the one who got her. He understood her, cared for her, and loved her.
Neko wondered how he and Kotonoha ever became a couple. She did find out from her brother. Ryuji had saved Kotonoha from plummeting to her death during a suicide attempt. This worried Neko. There was no doubt that Kotonoha was both mentally and emotionally fragile. Her love for Makoto would've gone to a point of obsession but she had a guardian angel to set her on the right path…she had Ryuji.
Kotonoha was a little clingy at times, which Ryuji didn't seem to mind. This would've put off most men or some men would've taken advantage of it. Ryuji wasn't the type. He would give Kotonoha what she wanted but only if it was truly what she wanted. He would show Kotonoha a softer side that she knew existed, which was something his enemies would never live to see. She wasn't frightened by his 'true' form but it did fill her with concern.
Concerning his purring once again, Kotonoha had heard it for the first time after they had made love that fateful Christmas night. She had giggled when he'd purred against her breasts but didn't feel like awakening him. He purred in his sleep, not snored, and only when he was incredibly happy. He was happy with her. He was her protector. He'd stayed for her and taken a dangerous mission so long as he was able to be with her…his princess.
She worried a lot whenever he went to fight the Imagin in the present and in the past. At least she was able to see him fight in the present but whenever he left on the ChronoLiner to follow the Imagin into the past to finish them off, she felt a pang of worry that she may never see him again. She knew he was still bothered about that Imagin which had fled. She'd heard him scream in rage for a few minutes before finally calming down. She knew he hated it whenever his prey fled. The Imagin would not be detected until it attacked again, which could happen anytime. As soon as they'd returned from their trip, he'd gone into training. She'd come for a short visit and heard him pounding into one of his many training dummies mercilessly. She'd stolen a peak of him without his shirt on and dripping with sweat that she nearly got a heart attack at seeing him look so delicious with his bangs matted to his forehead as he panted. Of course, when she'd seen his bleeding knuckles, she knew he'd overdone it on the training. He was just taking out his anger by beating up dummies, which had Makoto and Taisuke's faces on them. Kotonoha had asked him to not harm them so this was his way of venting out his anger. It often surprised her that someone so strong could be so gentle with her.
He was filled with anger. Maybe it was because he was once someone's Yin half that his emotions were on the negative side of the spectrum. He could show happiness but most of the time he could be seen scowling and frowning. He never smiled unless it was with her. The friends he had were in another world and it upset her. She wanted him to befriend the others but that didn't seem to be working. He tolerated them to a degree but didn't feel like befriending them.
She observed that he felt annoyed at the growing fame of his alter-ego. He did this not for the fame but rather for the sake of the present and future. The Imagin had to be stopped. It was that simple. He was doing something noble for others and they saw him as an icon and symbol. Being a Rider wasn't a glamorous job. It came with its own risks and dangers. He could be killed by the next Imagin he faced or lost in the past.
She knew she couldn't ask him to retire and find someone else to take his place. That would be selfish of her but she loved him so much. She didn't want to lose him like she lost Makoto. If Ryuji were to die, she would slip into a lifeless state and become dangerously unpredictable. She would even attempt suicide again in order to join him in death.
She felt Ryuji's grip on her hand tighten but it wasn't painful. It was like he was worried for her too, which was true. Being involved with him meant she was in danger too. If any of his enemies were to find out about her…that was why he couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to her. He could never forgive himself if she was ever hurt because of him.
Unfortunately, no one was aware when a golden colored orb snuck up on them and forced its way into Ryuji, causing him to involuntarily shift into his true form. "Ryuji-kun!" cried Kotonoha. All the passengers, with the exception of Neko, Kotonoha and Kenzaki, screamed in terror at the sight of the Orphenoch. They began to panic and tried as hard as they could to get out of the same car as this monster.
The Ifrit Orphenoch stood up and only uttered one word. "Kill." He then lunged at Kenzaki.
Kenzaki pushed Neko roughly out of their seat when the Ifrit Orphenoch came at him. He caught his attacker's hands in his and pushed away the claws aiming for his face, grappling against him with all his strength. He struggled as he got out of his seat and grappled with the roaring and snarling monster that was his fellow Rider.
"Ryuji!" Kenzaki yelled. "Snap out of it! Ryuji!" Kenzaki had been told that Ryuki would occasionally lose control of his Orphenoch form but Ryuji had been able to control it, so what was going on.
"Kill! Kill!" the Ifrit Orphenoch roared.
"Ryuji-kun, yamette!" Kotonoha pleaded. Neko's eyes went towards the emergency brake so she ran towards it and slammed her palm upon it.
The train came to a screeching halt, causing all the passengers to be affected by the inertia as they either fell out of their seats or stumbled at the sudden stop. The doors opened. Kenzaki was on his back with the Ifrit Orphenoch on top of him, snapping his jaws at him.
"This is your stop!" Kenzaki shouted as he kicked his opponent in the face and out through the door. Kenzaki stood up, Rider Pass in hand, as he ran out the door and after the Orphenoch.
"Ryuji-kun!" shouted Kotonoha.
Neko said to her, "Stay here!" before running after her boyfriend.
Kotonoha stood there, frozen in fear and confusion. Why had Ryuji suddenly turned into his monstrous form? It just didn't make sense. She felt something at her feet and looked down to see Ryuji's own black and silver Rider Pass. She squatted down and picked it up. Her face hardened in resolve as she said, "I need to go help him." Before the doors closed, Kotonoha ran out the train.
The Ifrit Orphenoch and Kenzaki ended up in a grassy field. The Orphenoch growled at Kenzaki who loosened his tie and threw off his jacket. The Garoh Belt formed and fastened itself around Kenzaki's waist. He pressed the gold colored button before swiping his Pass quickly over the belt.
"RAMPAGE FORM!"
After his initial Plat Form armor formed, his additional Rampage Form armor materialised before snapping onto his body, before finally the mask slid down his helmet and fitted itself to his faceplate with a snap.
"Let's rock!" Garoh shouted, Raion's personality mixed with his own. He quickly put the GaroGasher into the form of a long naginata before going on the attack.
Neko arrived to see sparks fly from both fighters as they aimed to injure each other. Garoh was aiming to knock some sense into Ryuji while Ryuji seemed to be interested in only killing the Rider. She grasped Gekiryuken tightly, ready to intervene if necessary. She heard some movement behind her and turned to see Kotonoha. "Kotonoha-chan!" gasped Neko. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if I could help," said Kotonoha as she watched the battle. Every hit Garoh would land on Ryuji, her Ryuji, caused her heart to break bit by bit. She couldn't stand and watch this as it was happening. "Ryuji-kun!" she called, pleadingly, "Ryuji-kun, yamette! Yamette!" She sobbed, "Yamette kudasai…"
Neko looked at this girl, this seemingly normal girl, trying to call out to her transformed boyfriend. This was a lot like Ryuki and Jinx's relationship. Whenever Ryuki ever lost control of himself, Jinx would be able to calm him down and make him change back. Could Kotonoha do the same for Ryuji, her brother's Yin?
Garoh was sent staggering backwards by various vicious claw swipes. Though he could feel pain, there was no doubt that some internal injuries would be received from the violent attack. Garoh recovered from the last hit and thrust his naginata at the Ifrit Orphenoch who dodged to the side, bit down on the shaft on the naginata, before tearing it out of Garoh's grip and throwing it aside. Garoh looked at his empty hands and gulped.
"Not good…" sad Garoh as the Ifrit Orphenoch roared and continued with his relentless assault.
"Ken-kun!" shouted Neko in fear. She called out, "Gekiryu…" but was halted when he felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at Kotonoha who'd just been taken over by Athena. "Athena?" Neko questioned.
A-Kotonoha gave Neko a nod and said, "Let Lady Kotonoha and I handle this. He's our man." Neko stood at her spot as she watched A-Kotonoha approach the battle. She was shocked when she saw the Ifrit Belt form around A-Kotonoha's waist. Could it be that…that…
"Masaka…" Neko uttered in disbelief.
A-Kotonoha pressed her thumb onto the switch and said, "Henshin!" before sliding the Pass into the belt's slot, activating it.
"AMAZON FORM!"
A tight black bodysuit appeared to cover Kotonoha's body along with green boots and gauntlets. The green torso armor and wing-like shoulder-pads formed and snapped onto her body. Finally, the helmet with the large black opaque lenses for eyes and the track in the middle formed. A sliding sound was heard as a blue visor shaped like a hawk's beak slid down and snapped on, resulting in the wings flanking the visor to spring out.
Kamen Rider Athena was born.
"What do you think, Lady Kotonoha?" Athena asked.
'Sugoi. We're a Kamen Rider now,' said Kotonoha in awe.
"OK, now it's time to bring your man back," said Athena confidently.
'Are you sure this will work?' asked Kotonoha doubtfully.
Athena responded, "We will knock the sense right back into him, Lady Kotonoha." She reached to the sides of her belt, which had black bars. Ifrit never had a Gasher since he always formed his own weapons from his ki but Kotonoha couldn't do that and neither could Athena. Athena reached to the left side of her belt and pulled off the bars there, stacking them together before tossing them into the air. She then reached to the right side of her belt and took the black bars there in her hand. The two joined pieces came flying down and Athena combined them together with the final two pieces with it in between. A green blade extended as she gripped her newly formed weapon within her hand. She then ran into the fray.
Another brutal slash sent Garoh reeling and falling to the ground before his armor disengaged, separating him and Raion. The Lion Imagin lay next to his friend as he looked up at the Ifrit Orphenoch. "Crap, we're screwed," Raion groaned in pain. The Ifrit Orphenoch let loose another roar before he lunged at them but was suddenly sent skidding backwards by a hard kick to the face. Kenzaki and Raion were surprised to see a Rider clad in green and brown. She turned to look at them and asked, "Are you both alright?" Kenzaki instantly recognized that voice.
"Athena?" Then that would mean… "Kotonoha-san?" Athena gave a nod to both questions before turning her attention back to the Ifrit Orphenoch.
"We shall handle this. He is ours after all." With a battlecry similar to Xena's from "Xena: Warrior Princess", the female Rider rushed at the Ifrit Orphenoch. She dodged all his attacks and countered with her own, slashing him all over his body with her sword. Kenzaki, Raion and Neko could only watch. Neko went to help Kenzaki back to his feet along with Raion. They watched helplessly as two lovers became enemies.
"This isn't right," said Neko. "They…they shouldn't be fighting like this…"
Kenzaki eyes narrowed. This was tough love. "It must be just as painful for her too."
And he was right. Kotonoha was in pain every time Athena would wound her beloved Ryuji. She wanted her partner to stop but with Ryuji filled with uncontrollable rage, the Amazon Imagin couldn't risk stopping in her attacks. She just couldn't. Kotonoha needed to reach her boyfriend. He was in that monster. 'Athena, let me take control!'
"What!" Athena shouted back as she parried the claws aiming for her face. "Are you mad!"
'Please!'
Athena was in a dilemma. If she were to stop then the Ifrit Orphenoch would take advantage of her moment of hesitation and strike, but Kotonoha was confident she could handle it. Athena felt her respect for her host rise for wanting to take a dangerous risk so bravely, just like a real Amazon. "Alright. Here you go." Athena's consciousness retreated, letting Kotonoha back in the driver's seat. Kotonoha rolled to the side as the Orphenoch tried to impale her with his claws. She put her sword down and reached for her helmet. He turned to glare at her and roared before lunging at her. His claws extended, aiming straight for her face. Kotonoha then pulled off her helmet.
Time seemed to freeze as she did this and Kenzaki and Neko both looked on in shock as Kotonoha removed her helmet and threw it aside. They, however, were surprised to see the Ifrit Orphenoch suddenly stopping.
His claws were inches from her face and he was shaking. He couldn't move…he couldn't strike her…he couldn't strike this girl whom he'd grown so fond of…
"Ryuji-kun…" she pled. "Yamette." She started to cry, "Yamette kudasai…"
"Ko…Koto…Koto-chan…" the Ifrit Orphenoch uttered before he let out a growl. Emotions were flooding him. Regret, anger, but more importantly love for this girl. He shook, frozen by her gaze, transfixed by her tears. Kotonoha slowly approached him, the armor on her vanishing, before she looped her arms around him, resting her head next to his as she held him close.
"It's alright…you're safe…" she cooed. She then heard his voice.
"Get…out…" he growled.
"Ryuji-kun?" she questioned.
"Get…out…of…me…" he continued to growl, his body shifting back into human form before he shouted, "GET OUT OF ME!" Sand spilled off his body and piled up behind him before eventually reforming into the White Baboon Imagin. The Imagin growled. Its mission had failed and it was this girl's fault. Ryuji slumped in Kotonoha's arm, becoming limp as he finally returned to human form all the while the White Baboon Imagin got its spear ready.
"Stupid girl…" the White Baboon Imagin growled. "DIE!"
"RYUOU GIRI!"
The Imagin was frozen in it tracks when a glowing blade sliced it straight down the middle. The two halves split apart before exploding revealing Ryukendo as the one who'd finished it off. The Dragon Swordswoman looked towards Kotonoha who now had Ryuji lying on the ground with his head resting on her lap. She was combing her hand through his hair, a look of sadness on her face.
"We should take him home," said Ryukendo. "Forget school for today." Kenzaki came down with Raion next to him. The tune of the GaroLiner played through the air before the train in question came flying out of its portal. It stopped near them and opened its doors. Raion picked Ryuji up and carried him into the GaroLiner as Ryukendo helped Kotonoha back to her feet.
"Will he be alright?" asked Kotonoha.
"He will be," said Kenzaki confidently to reassure her. "Now, let's go."
Ryukendo's armor disappeared as her sword once again became her necklace, "Let's go, Kotonoha-chan."
"Hai," Kotonoha nodded, exhausted from the ordeal, as they all entered the time train. As soon as they entered, it flew into an exit portal.
It wasn't too hard to get Ryuji back home. Kotonoha was almost in hysterics at this point. Once the shock of her experience wore off, she began to cry and clutch Ryuji's body desperately. Kenzaki and Neko placed him on his bed and left the couple to heal. With their friends at rest, Kenzaki and Neko waited in the living room.
"How did that Imagin know Ryuji was an Orphenoch?" asked Kenzaki. "Imagin don't usually have that kind of sensing ability unless they take a form that has one."
"Either that Imagin had made a contract with someone who knew about it, or maybe our bounty told him," Neko frowned.
"What makes you think so?" asked Kenzaki.
"Well, that Imagin knew there was at least one Rider here," Neko explained. "That's expected since Ifrit-chan has been here for a while. But, this Imagin wasn't surprised at seeing us. Yes, it was angry that we got involved but not surprised to see us."
"So someone tipped him off," Kenzaki frowned. "He knows we're here."
"And our job just got harder," Neko frowned.
Frantic knocking came from the front door and Neko went to answer it. Grabbing the handle, she opened the door to see Sekai, Nanami, Hikari, and Otome with concerned looks on their faces. Makoto and Taisuke looked like they were about to enter the Gates of Hell.
"Yes?" Neko blinked.
"We heard that Hasuma turned into some kind of monster," Otome replied with some concern. "We wanted to make sure he's fine." How could they have known that? Someone must've gotten a picture and spread the story around school. There were a few students on that train as she recalled.
"He is a monster!" Taisuke whined. "He's gonna eat my soul!"
"Urusai!" Sekai frowned. "Hasuma is our friend and we owe it to him to see if he's okay!"
"But he doesn't even like you, Sekai!" Makoto argued.
"Doesn't mean I shouldn't care," Sekai huffed. She then turned to see Neko again. "So is it true? Is he okay?"
"Well, that baboon thing from the other night at the onsen was the one who did it," Neko explained as she let the group in. Taisuke and Makoto had to be dragged in though. "It possessed him and turned him into that thing." Neko was telling a half-truth. Nobody was meant to know that Ryuji was really an Orphenoch. It was a believable story since nobody was sure what the Imagin were capable of so turning someone into a monster wouldn't be much of a stretch.
"How terrible!" Nanami gasped. "What happened next?"
"The Riders showed up," Neko continued. "They managed to hold him off, but then Kotonoha-chan couldn't watch anymore. She charged right into the middle of it and made herself a target."
"Is she okay?" Sekai cried in fear. It was a feeling shared by the other members of their little group.
"Yeah," Neko smiled. "Ryuji-chan just couldn't let the monster hurt his Koto-chan. He managed to overpower it mentally and forced it out of his body. He changed back soon after."
"Wow," the girls breathed. None of them missed the obvious romance in the situation. To them, it must have been something out of a fantasy drama. They found themselves wishing that their man, or a future man, in their lives would be as deeply in love with them as Ryuji was with Kotonoha.
"How's Katsura-san doing?" Sekai asked in concern.
"Crying and afraid," Neko sighed. "She was so scared she would lose Ryuji-chan but now she's glad he's okay. He's still sleeping though. We're letting him rest. She hasn't left his side since."
"Well, tell her we came by to make sure they were okay," said Otome. "When we heard the news, we weren't sure if it was true or not."
"This would only make Hasuma seem scarier than he already is," Makoto stated casually. He got a few glares, "Hey, he turned into a monster! Of course he would be scary…"
SLAP!
Nobody had noticed Kotonoha coming out of the room nor saw her coming. She'd heard Makoto's words and had become angered by them. She then walked towards him and gave him a tight slap.
"Don't ever call Ryuji-kun a monster," Kotonoha said angrily. "He's a much better boyfriend than you ever were, Makoto-kun."
Everyone was surprised to see the sweet and quiet girl so angry, but that was a given seeing as she was also worried about the boy she loved. She no longer had the same feelings for Makoto, it seemed, but still considered him a friend. However, she would not allow anyone to badmouth her Ryuji-kun. He may be able to turn into a monster but he wasn't one despite the appearance of his true form.
"Kotonoha, I never meant…" he began before he sighed. "Sorry."
"I accept your apology, but please do no call him a monster after what happened," she said.
"How is he doing?" asked Neko.
"He's still asleep," Kotonoha replied. "He must be very tired after what happened."
"I can imagine," agreed Kenzaki.
"Well, we should be going now," said Sekai.
"I'll tell the teachers what happened," said Otome. "I'll just tell them you guys were too sick to come to school."
"Thank you," smiled Kotonoha.
"Hey, it's the least I could do," said Otome. "I hope Hasuma gets better."
The group left and Neko closed the door.
"You think we should tell Ifrit-chan they came?" asked Neko.
"He would be surprised," stated Kenzaki. "He may not like them that much, but he may appreciate them coming to see how he's doing. Maybe then he won't be such an asshole."
"Do not insult Ryuji-kun," said Kotonoha.
There was a knock on the door and Neko opened it to see a gentleman with short bluish black hair, a moustache, and wearing a black three-piece suit. The appearance of the man soon faded to be replaced by the familiar form of Loki. He had a shopping basket in his hands and a worried look in his eyes. He came in and spoke, "I sensed something had happened to Ryuji. Is he alright?"
"He's resting," said Kotonoha. She told Loki what'd happened and the Imagin gasped in shock.
"How horrible! I must make him his favorite meal when he awakens. After all this, he deserves it…"
They heard groaning and turned around to see Ryuji leaning against the wall with a hand on his forehead. "Kuso, you all are too noisy," he grumbled. "Urusei."
"Ryuji-kun!" Kotonoha cried as she ran towards him and spoke, "You should be resting."
"I'm fine," he told her. "I'm too pissed to sleep. I wanna go after the guy that made me attack you." His voice was full of regret. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Kotonoha shook her head, "No, you managed to stop yourself before you could." Ryuji appeared relieved. Kotonoha took hold of his hand and led him back to his room.
"I'm betting they'll be having sex," whispered Kenzaki to Neko as they watched the couple disappear into Ryuji's room before closing the door.
"I don't think Kotonoha-chan is the type to take advantage of Ifrit-chan's current state," said Neko. "But, then again, I never expected that she already lost her virginity to him. She looks so innocent."
"They care deeply for each other," Loki defended. "This is just how they express it."
"This…is not good," Tatsuya frowned as the three Imagin reported in. "The White Baboon was supposed to kill a bunch of people and break Ifrit's spirit."
"Obviously Ifrit's spirit was too strong," one of the three Imagin stated.
"Much stronger than we thought," the second nodded. "His bond to the girl is incredible."
"Perhaps we can use her as bait for a trap?" asked the third.
"That's risky," Tatsuya sighed. "We know how those plans work out. We can't anticipate the reaction from the one the trap is set for. We have an inkling of Ifrit's power, but somehow I doubt we've seen the top."
"Indeed," a shadowed figure agreed, catching the attention of the man and three Imagin. "Sentient emotion is one of the most unpredictable things in the Multiverse. We'll set using Ifrit's woman as bait as one of the plans."
"Plans?" asked one of the three Imagin. "I take it you have one already?"
"I didn't get as far as I have without planning ahead," the figure grinned.
A grin than his four allies agreed with.
As soon as both teens entered the room Kotonoha took the initiative and straddled him when she got him lying down on the bed. Then, she teasingly stripped off her uniform. She started with the bowtie, then unbuttoning her jacket, while she slowly and teasingly undid the buttons of her white shirt, all the while rocking on top of him. He moaned at the sensual show she was giving him. She tossed her clothing away and continued to gyrate her hips. The only barrier between their privates was her panties and his pants.
She slowly started to remove his clothing. The tie and jacket had been thrown off before and now all that was in the way of her viewing his perfectly muscular body. She licked her lips in anticipation and bit her lower lip as the pleasure intensified with the soft rubbing. She unbuttoned his shirt and placed her hands on his chest, running her soft and cool hands down the surface. There were some small and barely noticeable scars but she ignored those. She leaned don and kissed him on the lips.
When she was naked from the waist up, her chest covered by her bra, he placed his hands on her hips and she'd gasped at the contact. He ran his hands up her sides, her stomach, before resting them on her breasts and squeezing. She moaned and gasped as he massaged and molested her. His hands reached behind her and unclasped her bra. He then rolled them over with him on top and started kissing her on the lips.
"I love you," he whispered as he started to nibble on her ear, causing her to gasp. "I love you," he repeated as he started to kiss his way down to her neck and gave her a few nips. Ryuji wasn't afraid to show his affection in public, he just never said those three special words in public. They were made special whenever they were together, alone and in private. She clutched his back, her nails digging into his back which he loved so much. He kissed his way to her chest and removed the bra from he chest. Kotonoha blushed but continued to enjoy the sensation of her bare chest pressing against his.
They stripped each other completely and made love. She'd climaxed more times than she could imagine and loved every moment of it.
Both teens lay next to each other, nude under the blanket with their fingers interlocked. Kotonoha had a fine sheen of sweat covering her and Ryuji would licked some of the beads off, enjoying the salty taste as she gasped whenever she felt him do it. What they both shared was something special.
"Ryuji-kun, aishiteru," spoke Kotonoha.
"I love you too, my Koto-chan. Ore no Tenshi," he said as he stroked her cheek.
"Again," she requested, closing the gap between them and rubbing herself against his body. "Please…?"
He just couldn't refuse her when she asked him like that. She was so beautiful and so irresistible. What was Makoto thinking just leaving her? That bastard. Makoto hadn't appreciated her affection as he should and now Kotonoha belonged to Ryuji. She was his as he was hers.
"Alright," he said. "Turn around." She did as told and her back was facing him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and he pressed his chest against her back. He took in the scent of her hair. It smelt like strawberries. He kissed the back of her neck and adjusted herself. When he heard her moan, he knew he was doing it right. "Ready?"
"Yes…" she uttered weakly and then let out a moan as Ryuji began.
"I love you, Koto-chan," he whispered.
"They're getting it on," Kenzaki sighed. "He'll be pissed if he sees us here post coital."
"Boys," Neko sighed. "Nothing but hormones."
"Yet you love us anyway," Kenzaki grinned. "Still, when do you think he'll be back on his feet?"
"Well, we both know that recovering from an Imagin possession depends on the will of the one possessed," Neko shrugged. "But Ifrit-chan is an Orphenoch. It's hard to say exactly how long it will be."
"Don't Orphenochs heal really fast?" Kenzaki asked in confusion.
"It varies," Neko shrugged. "Most Orphenochs can heal fast, but that's with their genes degrading. Since Ifrit-chan is stable, he may heal at a regular pace or take longer since the need isn't as great."
"So, what do we do now?" asked Kenzaki.
"We need to catch this guy, Ken-kun," Neko gripped her fists. "He's hurt my brother and I want to take him down."
Kenzaki nodded in understanding.
"You don't have to stay here with me," Ryuji sighed. "Your parents might worry."
"It's OK. Neko-san called to let them know," Kotonoha smiled.
"When did you tell her to do that?" asked Ryuji, squinting down at her.
"When I had to go to the bathroom," Kotonoha smiled impishly, "That way I could come back to join you in bed faster."
They were both still in bed, cuddling, after numerous session of sex. Usually, anyone who'd gone through what Ryuji had wouldn't have the strength or energy but none of them were Orphenochs gifted with a regenerative healing factor. He'd regained his strength quickly enough to spend it all on Kotonoha while they made love all so vigorously.
Reflecting back on her life, Kotonoha realized just how much she'd changed in the time since she met Ryuji. She was sure she hit rock bottom when she discovered that Makoto was cheating on her. She had even tried to end her own life, but that was when Ryuji saved her and became her anchor in life. She had been a little afraid of him at first, but she then saw the truly kind, caring, and gentle person that he was. Kotonoha had been thanking the Kami for allowing him into her life.
Christmas had definitely been a time to remember. Kotonoha knew she was a quiet and reserved person, but she certainly hadn't seemed that way that night. She hadn't recalled screaming that loudly before or using her body in such ways. That had been a highpoint in her life without question. Losing her virginity to someone she loved dearly. The first time had been magical to say the least.
Kotonoha happily recalled all the times she had been intimate with Ryuji afterwards. Her parents were astounded at how bright and open she was beginning to become and her little sister thought Ryuji was just awesome. Kotonoha was personally amazed at how free with her body she was being with Ryuji. Of course, it helped that he held her like she was made of fine porcelain and also said she was as beautiful as a work of art. He had even called her such when she first revealed herself to him.
"I love you so much," she whispered as she pressed herself against Ryuji's warm body.
"Aishiteru," Ryuji whispered as he kissed Kotonoha's forehead. "I don't want to think where'd I'd be without you."
"Me neither," Kotonoha sighed as she basked in their shared warmth. She was so content that she didn't noticed Ryuji's hand sliding lower.
"EEP!" Kotonoha squeaked as she felt Ryuji squeeze her buns. "Ryuji-kun!"
"Sorry," Ryuji blushed. "It's like my hand has a mind of its own." His hands honestly did that by themselves sometimes. He wasn't complaining, but it was annoying sometimes. He tried to take it back, but Kotonoha's hand kept him in place. Looking down, he saw Kotonoha's smile.
"Don't be," she smiled. "It's a compliment to me. You think I'm…sexy."
"I'd have to be gay not to," Ryuji chuckled. "Does this mean I can grab your butt more often?"
"Ryuji-kun!" Kotonoha giggled with a blush. "You're so silly."
At the dining table Athena and Loki both sat across from each other in awkward silence. Neko and Kenzaki had already left, leaving the two Imagin to protect their hosts. Both were silent because of their connection with their partners and were feeling whatever they were feeling.
"My goodness," Athena gasped. "That boy of yours sure is passionate."
"He has a good reason to be," Loki said, shifting in his seat. "Their love is only cemented by that act."
"Tell me about it," Athena said, flushed. "I thought all men were pigs and weren't so attentive when it came to things like this. I thought he would be the "Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am type"."
"And now you know better," said Loki. "He needs this after what happened. They both need this."
"I agree. I know enough about him to trust him with Lady Kotonoha. He would never betray or harm her."
"They should stop now, though," said Loki. "The food's getting cold."
The couple eventually got out of bed and got dressed. Ryuji lent Kotonoha one of his shirts and a pair of pants since she couldn't sleep in her uniform. Though, they could just sleep in the nude, which was something they'd grown accustomed to for a long time.
By the time they joined Athena and Loki, it was already past 2 o'clock. The couple sat across from each other, with their Imagin partners next to them, chatting animatedly about whatever came to mind.
Otome came by to drop off some homework assignments and asking how Ryuji was doing. He assured her that he would be in school tomorrow and so would Kotonoha. Relieved, Otome left.
Ryuji was surprised to hear that the group had come and visit. He never really liked Sekai, Makoto and Taisuke, but they'd come anyway and he appreciated the gesture. Maybe he could be a little nicer to them…maybe. He didn't have to do it now, though. He could hold it off until later. Loki, on the other hand, would enforce it. He did it during student council meetings because Ryuji's temper and impatience may get the better of him and cause trouble for the others.
After Setsuna's Kiyoura's departure, Sekai had been made the class rep of 1-3 with Makoto acting as her assistant. This meant they would be seeing each other a lot during the meetings. There weren't that many meetings since the year was slowly coming to an end. Valentine's Day was closing in around the corner and Ryuji wanted to do something special for Kotonoha. It was a custom for the girl to give the boy she liked chocolate and wait a month later for White Day to receive something in return, but Ryuji wasn't a traditionalist. He preferred to return the gesture on the same day. He planned on taking her to an exclusive restaurant on Valentine's Day for a dinner date. Then, they would go to a hotel and…
Come to think of it, sex seemed like one of the many constants in their relationship. They were smart enough to use protection to prevent unwanted pregnancies. They wanted to enjoy life and a baby would complicate things. Of course if Kotonoha did become pregnant, he wouldn't abandon her. He would take responsibility.
Ryuji noticed that he'd changed much. In the beginning, he'd been evil; influencing Ryuki into doing bad deeds and committing crimes, even murder. For some odd reason, he hadn't felt as murderous as before except when it came to fighting Imagin. He would give threats and beat up people who pissed him off, but he never murdered anyone.
His Orphenoch Gene was also stable and he could switch between his human and true form without any danger. But, he chose to live as a human with Kotonoha and that form would only come into play during dire emergencies.
He often wondered what Kotonoha saw in him. He'd originally wanted to save her from losing her sanity but slowly and surely grew fond of her as time went by. He'd started to protect her out of duty but then it became personal, which worried Warren since they would have to leave but Ryuji resolved firmly to stay for Kotonoha. If he left her, she would lost her mind and become a lifeless shell. That frightened him. That was the only thing that frightened him.
Now, here they were sitting at a dining table, eating, as they talked. She was so full of life now. She wasn't as shy as before and she had him for a boyfriend.
Life was perfect…for now.
The next day, Ryuji arrived at school with Kotonoha and as soon as he stepped foot onto school grounds, he noticed several stares and whispers. Obviously, they were still talking about yesterday when he'd turned into a monster. They gave him and Kotonoha a wide berth as they stepped into the building.
In his shoe locker, he found a photo of him turning into the Ifrit Orphenoch had been slipped inside. He tore the picture to pieces and slammed his locker shut.
The students were giving him scrutinizing looks and one of them even whispered, "Freak" under his breath. If Kotonoha wasn't with him, he would've slammed the guy's head into the wall before tossing him out the window. He was tempted, really.
They entered the classroom and Otome greeted them. Her friends, however, were giving them dirty looks. So what? He didn't care. As Kotonoha was about to sit down, he stopped her. He went to check her and his seats for anything and when he found nothing was relieved. Though he was considered a freak, everyone was too scared to do anything to him. He still had a frightening reputation and this latest turn of events just made him even scarier. He didn't care what they thought. They were idiots. Besides, this would eventually blow over.
"Hey," Neko greeted as she and Kenzaki came over to Kotonoha and Ryuji's desk. "How are you doing today, Ryuji-chan?" Neko only called him Ifrit-chan in private. In public it was Ryuji-chan.
"Well, I'm feeling better," said Ryuji, smiling slightly, which was a rare sight to see. He would scowl most of the time except when he was with Kotonoha. "Thanks for asking, Neko-nee."
"You must've had a good dose of TLC," Kenzaki winked. This comment made Ryuji turn away and cover his face with his hand. He knew what Kenzaki was implying.
"Urusei," he grumbled.
"Well, I gotta get to my own class," said Neko. She gave Kenzaki a kiss on the cheek before waving goodbye. "Ja ne."
The teacher came in and took attendance before starting class. While Ryuji was good at PE, he completely stunk at school. The only other subject he was good at was English in which he kept getting 100 for the tests. That was one thing that made others envious of him. He even got the most beautiful girl in class to date him. They just thought she could do so much better. Sometimes, even Ryuji doubted that he was right for her. He wasn't even human but she always told him reassuringly that they were meant for each other and nothing would change that.
Soon lunch came and Kenzaki was wandering the halls alone, trying to find Neko. "I wonder where she is," he thought aloud. "Maybe on the roof?" He found the staircase that led to the roof and quickly sprinted up the steps. He got to the door and was about to open it when he looked through the window. What he saw shocked him to the very core.
Standing there on the roof, was Makoto…and Neko…and their lips were touching! Not only that, Neko looked to be enjoying it and was holding Makoto against her! He wanted to go out there. Go out there beat Makoto within an inch of his life then throw him off the roof. But no, he'd wait. Get them both alone. First he'd kill Makoto; then he'd talk to Neko. He then turned and left. Before he got into the hallway he punched the wall, putting a large hole in it.
Meanwhile out on the roof, Neko had released Makoto. "Cute, but not my type. Wipe his mind, Mandrake," said 'Neko'. Spores fell from the sky before Makoto fell to the ground. 'Neko's' form rippled before being replaced by something less than human.
The Chameleon Imagin was green with purple markings. It had a frilly collar and cuffs around his wrists. Its hands were covered in white gloves and its feet had pointed up toes. Like a chameleon, it had bulbous green eyes and sharp teeth in its mouth. A long and purple tongue snaked out as it licked its lips. "Now, you know what to do, Mandrake," said the Chameleon Imagin. The figure hiding in the shadows nodded before vanishing.
Ryuji was walking the hallway. As he passed by the other students he took notice of his fellow Rider, Kenzaki, walking in the opposite direction. "Yo, Ken-" but before he could finish Kenzaki had walked right past him. Ryuji frowned and snorted as he looked over his shoulder, "Cheh, I try to be nice and he walks off." He had just gone to the bathroom before heading towards the cafeteria to have lunch with Kotonoha. Suddenly, his watch began to beep. His lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, one of them Imagin is here. This is going to be fun." He followed the signal on his watch, headed towards a fight.
The Chameleon Imagin was about to leave when the door leading to the roof was thrown open. It looked towards it to see Ryuji leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and Henshin Belt fastened around his waist. Ryuji too notice of Makoto's unconscious form and his frown deepened. As much as he disliked his girlfriend's ex, he didn't want him getting hurt like this.
"Ifrit," the Chameleon Imagin hissed.
"So, you've heard of me," said Ryuji. "Looks like I don't need to bother introducing myself."
The Chameleon Imagin hissed angrily before letting loose its tongue like a whip and lashing it at Ryuji. The young Rider dove out of harm's way and rolled over the floor before getting into a kneeling position on one knee. He stood up straight and pressed the switch on his belt.
"Now, watch closely, because I'm giving you a treat," said Ryuji as he held up his Pass. "Henshin!" He slid the Pass into his belt.
"IFRIT FORM!"
The shards encased his body before becoming his armor and finally the visor slid down his helmet to fit itself onto his faceplate. The temperature dropped several degrees as Ifrit cracked his knuckles. "Let me tell you this from the start; I am very pissed off!" He then charged at the Imagin, hands covered in cold blue flames.
"Meet your maker, Rider!" roared the Chameleon Imagin as it charged right back.
In the cafeteria, Kotonoha, Neko and Sekai were sitting at a table. Sekai and Kotonoha were sitting next to each other with Neko sitting across from the two girls. As they were chatting and laughing, suddenly Kenzaki showed up and slammed his palm on the tabletop. He didn't look happy.
"Ken-kun?" Neko wondered. "What's wrong?"
"Why, Neko?" he questioned.
"Why what?" she questioned.
"Why were you on the roof kissing Itou?" he demanded. This caught some attention.
"What do you mean?" Neko questioned, confused. "Me and Itou?"
"I saw you!" he continued, raising his voice. "You were there with him and I saw you!" he accused.
"Tsukuba-san, when did you see Hasuma-san kissing Makoto?" asked Sekai.
"Stay out of this!" he snapped.
"Tsukuba-san, calm down!" said Kotonoha.
"Just, tell me…" he said.
"Ken-kun," Neko frowned. "I wasn't on the roof. I was here with Kotonoha-chan and Sekai-chan the whole time."
Kenzaki blinked. For years he'd learnt to read people and tell if they were lying. Looking into Neko's unblinking eyes, he could see that she was telling the truth…but, then, what about what he…
BOOM!
The loud explosion took everyone's attention away from the drama and towards the window.
One of the students, a boy, shouted, "It's the Rider! It's Kamen Rider Ifrit!"
Kotonoha froze. "Ryuji-kun," she uttered under her breath.
Outside the building, the Rider and Imagin had created a large crater from their landing which resulted in the explosion. Smoke surrounded them and rose up as they circled each other. Ifrit already had his Ifrit Dao joined together into his dual-bladed weapon while the Imagin was armed with a purple rapier.
"I'm still pissed when that baboon buddy of yours took my body over," growled Ifrit. "So, I'll just take it out on you!" Ifrit then attacked, swinging his blades as he went for the Imagin's head. The Imagin slipped to the side, dodging the swings as Ifrit continued. "Stand still, teme!" shouted Ifrit.
"No way!" grinned the Chameleon Imagin as he stabbed with his rapier, striking Ifrit in the chest and causing him to reel backwards. "You're going to die, Rider!" the Chameleon Imagin opened its mouth and shot a stream of fire at Ifrit. He screamed out in anguish as the heat went through his armor. The stream of flames stopped revealing scorch marks on the panting Rider. Grinning, the Imagin opened its mouth again to lash out at the Rider. Sparks flew as he screamed while under assault.
Kotonoha watched, horrified, as she covered her mouth. 'Ryuji-kun…' she thought. He was getting killed out there.
Ifrit lay on the ground, shivering in pain as the Chameleon Imagin approached him. It used the tip of its blade to lift up Ifrit's chin. "I thought you'd be tougher. Oh, well." It drew back its sword, ready to thrust it through the helmet and Ifrit's skull. "Sayonara, Kamen Rider!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Shots bombarded into the Chameleon Imagin's back and it turned to look at who'd interrupted in its fun. It snarled as it saw Garoh in his Savage Form aiming his gun at him. "DIE!" the Imagin roared and spewed a fireball at Garoh. Garoh threw his own fireball, cancelling out his opponent's.
"Heh, I'm a dragon. I don't think fire is going to help you," said Garoh with a laugh.
The original plan had been to break the Wolf Rider's spirit by assuming Neko's form. It hadn't worked yet but maybe if given enough time…
The Chameleon Imagin shouted, "Mandrake!"
"Mandrake?" questioned Garoh and then he noticed spores falling like snow around him. "Huh?"
BOOOM!
"ARGH!" screamed Garoh in shock as the spores exploded all over his body.
"See you later," the Chameleon Imagin saluted before it vanished. The spores continued to fall all over Garoh, making it unable for him to escape. When the Chameleon had gone, the spores stopped falling but the damage had already been done.
"Kuso…" cursed Ifrit as he gripped his fists and pushed himself back onto his hands and knees. He picked himself up, weakly, and then unleashed a roar, "RAAAAAARRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" The temperature fell again causing the students to shiver, even inside the building. He then rushed off with Garoh following.
The two Imagin, sadly, managed to get away. Still, Kenzaki and Ryuji were out looking for clues. The school had to be let out early since a lot of students were scared for their safety. Neko and Kotonoha went back to the Katsura residence together since Neko didn't want to go back to the apartment yet. Kokoro would still be at school for a while and Kotonoha's parents were out working again.
"I can't believe Ken-kun!" Neko raged. "What's wrong with him! He should know me better than that! I'd never cheat on him. Especially with Itou! I could do way better!"
"Um…seeing someone you love with someone else can be a big shock though," Kotonoha argued. "When I heard Sekai-san and Makoto-kun confessing to each other, I was so confused. I could barely tell up from down."
Neko had to admit that Kotonoha had a point. She had to see the one she thought she love cheat on her for another woman. If anyone knew what it was like to see someone cheat on you, it was her. It was part of the reason why she followed her (almost) sister-in-law back to her home.
"But I thought Ken-kun knew me better," Neko sighed/whined. "I thought he trusted me."
"I'm sure he does," Kotonoha replied as she and Neko sat in her living room. "But it's hard to refuse something you see with your own eyes."
"I guess," Neko shrugged.
"Katsura-san is right, Ojou-sama," Gekiryuken agreed. "People often take what they see in front of them as the truth. It is probably what those Imagin were hoping for. They wanted to disrupt your bond with Kenzaki."
"Well they did a good job," Neko frowned. She looked up to Kotonoha. "So…how did you deal with it?"
Neko already knew the answer, having heard the adventure and knowing how the anime which was based on this timeline went. She still needed to hear someone saying it though.
"I really couldn't," Kotonoha sighed. "I actually tried to kill myself, but Ryuji-kun saved me. He helped me every step of the way and gave me his heart. I think that day was when he started to steal mine."
"Any advice for someone who went through something similar?" asked Neko with a wistful smile. Kotonoha sure was lucky. So was Ryuji.
"Seek out the one you love the most," Kotonoha smiled. "It will all work out in their arms."
Neko gave Kotonoha's words a few thoughts and smiled, "Arigatou."
As the Chameleon and Mandrake Imagin arrived in the forest, they were greeted by Tatsuya and the figure. The Mandrake Imagin looked terrifying. It had a green skull for a head, leaves for hair, a collar of leaves, leaves sprouting out of its shoulders and leaves on its forearms and shins. The parts not covered in leaves were brown and wood-like. Around its waist were seed pods. Its toes and fingertips were pointed and looked like roots.
"Well, it looks like your plan failed. The Wolf Rider's spirit wasn't broken when I took his girl's form," said the Chameleon.
"My plans don't fail," said the figure. "All you did was merely plant the seeds of doubt. Soon enough his spirit will break. And when that happens, we will be there to finish the job. Tatsuya, I leave you in charge." With that the figure vanished.
Tatsuya instructed, "Chameleon, you are to continue your psychological warfare on Garoh. Keep him questioning himself. Mandrake, your job is to take care of Ryukendo. Knock her out, do whatever you have to, but don't kill her. Nanimo says he wants her alive. When she's taken care of, go after Ifrit. Like I said; by any means necessary."
"And what about him?" asked the Chameleon Imagin, pointing to the large, bulky figure hiding in the shadows.
"Druk?" asked Tatsuya. "His mission is to destroy the most recent arrival, Wraith." The three Imagin nodded before vanishing.
Kenzaki was walking through town. Like Neko, he didn't want to head back to the apartment yet, but he did want to get some air. "Man, this world must be messing with my head," groaned Kenzaki. His relationship with Neko had turned to total crap since they had arrived in this world. Neko was mad at him now, and he highly doubted that giving her a kiss and saying he was sorry was going to fix things. "I can't wait till we take down Tatsuya and get outta here."
However, Kenzaki was unaware that he was being followed by a familiar reptilian Imagin.
Ryuji was riding his bike, a black Kawasaki with blue accents, as he sped along the road. He wore a black leather jackets and a black helmet with a blue tinted visor. Blue flames decorated his helmet and the edges of his jacket.
"Damn that Imagin," growled Ryuji. Ryuji hated it when his opponents would flee and leave a fight unfinished. That was his obsession. He loved to fight. It gave him an unbelievable thrill. Obviously, he was an adrenaline junkie and fighting the Imagin gave him the adrenaline high he loved so much. He loved the feeling as his heart rate went up and the adrenaline pumping through his body. He just couldn't get enough of it. That was why he enjoyed sex with Kotonoha so much. The feeling was just so addictive.
As Ryuji raced past a sidewalk, Warren could only look at the young Rider disapprovingly. Though Ryuji wasn't as violent as before, he still had a temper. Coupled with his obsession for fighting and his addiction for adrenaline, the Ifrit Rider could become a liability due to his rage and could get himself killed.
Meditation was out of the question since Ryuji couldn't stay in one place for a long time. His way of meditation involved hitting a punching bag over and over. Not a good way to deal with anger but it was the only way he knew how. At least being with Kotonoha kept him calm and sane. Loki and Athena also helped to keep Ryuji in line.
"Things are not going well right now," Warren frowned.
Sighing, he stood up from the bench he was sitting on. As he was just beginning to move, he felt a familiar presence of an Imagin appearing nearby. Turning slowly, he saw an Imagin standing on the sidewalk with people screaming and running away. Frowning, Warren slowly turned to face the Imagin.
"Hello, Wraith," the Imagin laughed. "I have an invitation from a friend of mine." The Imagin was pure muscle with golden armor covering it from head to doe. A dragon's head decorated its chest. It had sharp claws and blades protruding from its wrists. Hanging behind it was a golden cape with black lining. Its head a combination of humanoid and draconic with a long horn on its forehead pointing forward and a pair of horns shaped like lightning bolts curved backwards. It also had a mane of hair and sharp teeth as it grinned at the Rider.
"You do, do you?" Warren frowned.
"Yes," the Imagin laughed. "Let me give you directions. By the way, my name is Druk." Electricity crackled around Druk's body as Warren got ready to fight.
The Mandrake Imagin stood in front of the Katsura residence and grinned. This was where Ryukendo was and so this would be her grave. The Imagin leapt up and over the gate, landing on the other side, its soft feet making no sound as it landed on the grass. It removed two pods from its belt and gripped them. "Time to bring the house down," it snickered.
Inside the house, both Neko and Kotonoha were giggling as they exchanged stories about their boyfriends, unaware and unsuspecting of the danger that would soon befall upon them.