An Imagin, resembling a platypus, was running through the darkened streets. However, it wasn't in a hurry to grant a wish to fulfill a contract. Quite the contrary really. The Platypus Imagin was, in fact, running for its life.
"Leave me alone!" the Imagin cried. Following it close behind was an armored figure and the lampposts revealed that his suit was silver, red and black. The pursuer had malicious red eyes and as he moved the sounds of chains clattering could be heard.
The Imagin stopped to catch its breath and turned around to see that its pursuer had disappeared. Its relief, however, was short lived as the sound of chains breaking caught its attention. The Platypus Imagin looked upwards and gasped in shock and terror as its pursuer now stood on top of the lamppost. "No!" the Imagin cried, "Stay way!"
"For what you attempted to do, I shall grant you mercy," its pursuer said as red eyes bore into the Imagin's own.
"Mercy?"
"I'll make your death quick and painless."
"W-Wait!"
The Imagin let out a terrible scream which then faded into the night. The pitch black sky had no clouds or stars, but there was a crescent moon with an odd red glow around it floating in the air.
"THE DEMON PRINCE"
"No," Ryuji responded curtly as he crossed his arms. "I'm not doing it."
"Oh, come on! This can so work well for your PR," insisted Miyako Serizawa, the reporter of the Sakakino Star Magazine, who found out about Ryuji's secret "after-school-activities".
"I'm not going on a talk show so you can boost your reputation. I only promised that interview and nothing more. That was the deal," he reminded.
The stubborn woman frowned. She was sitting across Ryuji at his dining room table with a bowl of cookies between them that Loki had prepared. Still she wasn't going to give up. "I can help you become famous."
"Fame has no meaning for me," stated Ryuji honestly. "I have enough of it already. Fanclubs, posters, action figures and comic books. Things like that would just get in the way."
"You know, plenty of people would kill for a chance like this," she told him, munching on a cookie. "I could just expose you."
"And I can just erase your memories completely," he threatened by flashing his cell phone. It was Smart Brain's own special phones given only to special operatives. It had many hidden functions, including a memory wiper. "Days, months, years…don't tempt me, Serizawa. Just because killing you would upset Koto-chan, doesn't mean I won't deal with you through other means."
Miyako sighed. All he had to do was wipe her memory clean then go to her home or office to destroy the evidence. It was easy for him since he had a time traveling train. "Fine." She changed the subject, "So, anyway, how is that cute girlfriend of yours?"
"She's never been better," Ryuji's expression softened. Miyako noticed that the hard gaze he held would always soften when talking about Kotonoha. It meant that the girl was really important to him.
It was March and currently spring break so Ryuji didn't have to worry about school until early April when he would start his second year in Sakakino High. He hated school but Kotonoha made it bearable. She'd helped him study for the final exam and he'd managed to pass with at least a C. He wasn't the best student but he did it all for her.
Kotonoha was working part time at Radish. Ryuji would always hang out at the restaurant to keep an eye on her as well as the horny boys who just liked to ogle her. He still thought the uniform was too skimpy but he was thinking along the lines of bringing her home with her in it and then…He shook that thought out of his head as he leveled a gaze at Miyako.
"That reminds me that I have to go, so you better leave," said Ryuji. He was wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans and his signature bomber jacket.
"Fine, I was hoping to get another interview but well…"
"Just leave."
"Welcome to Radish," greeted Kotonoha and Ryuji smiled at the girl. She was so beautiful and sexy. He couldn't believe that he was dating such an angel. He was a monster and didn't deserve her, yet she insisted that they were fated together. "Konnichiwa, Ryuji-kun." She kissed his cheek. He blushed at the display of affection but he didn't mind.
"Konnichiwa, Koto-chan," he greeted back with a smile. She led him to a table and his eyes wandered to her swaying hips where the short skirt clung onto. 'Nice ass…' He sat down and she was about to take his order when he asked, "So, when is your break?"
"Oh, in a few minutes," she answered.
"I was hoping you would join me here," he said, patting his lap. She blushed. Right here? What was he thinking? It didn't sound so bad though.
"Maybe when we're alone," she said to him. His eyes narrowed. He could always surprise her in the locker room and…Great, he was thinking like a rapist. It was just so tempting. He would just take her right now if she was all alone but he had to reign in his emotions and hormones. Though his Orphenoch form was ruled by instincts, he could not allow those instincts to make him do something that would jeopardize such a wonderful relationship. "So, what would you like?"
'No dirty comments today,' he thought and looked through the menu. "Well, give me a turkey sandwich, potato wedges, and a bun."
"Your drink?" she asked.
"A tall glass of Pepsi."
"And for dessert?"
Ryuji looked through the menu but then Kotonoha leaned in to his ear and whispered, "I'm not on the menu, but I could oblige." His eyes widened at the implication. She giggled at his reaction and said, "I'll get back to you on that." She then strolled towards the kitchen. It didn't escape Ryuji's notice that her hips were swaying provocatively.
Ryuji chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. "Cheeky girl."
The bell at the door rang and someone else came into the restaurant. He wore black and white clothing. His shirt was buttoned down with long sleeves with a white vest, white pants, black leather shoes and a white tie hanging from his neck. His skin was oddly pale and he had short black hair with a long fringe hiding the right half of his face. He wore a fedora hat and round sunglasses. One of the waitresses greeted him and led him towards a seat. They walked past Ryuji and the Ifrit Rider's eyes widened when he saw the person.
"Can't be." He looked towards the counter to see the person's back facing him. The person looked over his shoulder and stared back at Ryuji. Ryuji gaped. "It's Amakusa's kid brother."
"Oh my gosh!" a waitress squealed as she got back to where Sekai and Kotonoha were gossiping while they waited for orders to be filled. It was lucky that things were slow otherwise they wouldn't be able to just sit and talk. "I saw the cutest guy!"
"What do you mean, Sae?" Sekai asked curiously.
"Well, the last customer to come in," Sae giggled. "He is just so handsome! He has an English accent and the way I could only see one of his eyes was just so sexy!"
"Wow," Kotonoha blinked. "Are you going to ask him out?"
"I might!" Sae giggled. "He called me ma'am and miss. The way he smiled was making my knees weak!"
"Sounds like he's really hot!" Sekai giggled. "Where's he sitting?"
"Near Katsura-san's boyfriend," Sae answered. "I'll show you!" Sae led them to where she saw the customer and pointed him out. "There, the one dressed in black and white sitting at the counter." The guy she was pointing at was busy reading.
"He seems really pale," noticed Sekai. "Is he sick or something?"
Kotonoha then noticed her boyfriend standing up and walking to the guy in black and white. "Oh no. Ryuji-kun."
"What is it with your boyfriend and picking fights?" Sekai shook her head.
"He does not pick fights," defended Kotonoha. "Trouble just seems to find him."
"Well, I don't want to see your boyfriend beating up that guy," Sae frowned.
Ryuji stood at the counter and leaned over to take a good look in the black and white clad guy. He slammed his hand down to get the guy's attention. "Yo, are you Amakusa's kid brother?" Since Ryuji was standing to the guy's right where the bangs were covering his face, the guy turned his head to face Ryuji.
"Isn't it proper etiquette to introduce oneself before asking a question?" the guy retorted.
"Fine," Ryuji frowned. "Name's Ryuji Hasuma."
"Kyoichiro Devlin Amakusa," the guy introduced. "Call me Devlin." Their gazes were both hard on each other and Kotonoha swallowed. She hoped Ryuji wasn't going to get into a fight.
Ryuji smiled. "So, it is you, huh, kiddo?"
"You remind me of someone. A certain Ryuki Hasuma," stated Devlin. "Are you related?"
"You could say I'm his better half," Ryuji replied arrogantly.
"The Yin half, you mean," corrected Devlin. "I can see a bit of him in you. You both look alike, save for hair and eye color."
"Well, you look like the snake," Ryuji crossed his arms.
"We're family so we share similar physical traits."
Ryuji still had questions. He asked, "So, what brings you to this place?"
"Boredom," Devlin answered simply. "I wanted to see the sights."
"Well, just keep your sights off my girl and you won't get hurt," warned Ryuji.
"I have a girlfriend so I won't be looking at any other girls," remarked Devlin. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to sit here and read while I wait for my order, Hasuma-san."
"Sure, Amakusa," Ryuji smirked. He then returned to his seat.
Sekai blinked. She'd expected a fight, not a conversation. Kotonoha let out a breath of relief. "I should take Ryuji-kun's order to him," the long-haired girl said. She noticed Sae was frowning. "Ishida-san?"
"That guy has a girlfriend?" Sae repeated, upset.
Sekai frowned sadly for her co-worker. She had known Sae ever since she had started working at the Radish and she had never had a boyfriend. She had been unlucky in that particular aspect. Out of all the waitresses there, Sae had the smallest bust and with Kotonoha coming in, none of the male customers really paid attention to her anymore. Sekai also knew that Sae envied the relationships that her co-workers had.
"Um…" Sae sighed sadly. "I'm…going to take my break now."
"Okay," Sekai nodded. "Are you okay?"
"No," Sae sighed. "I'm not."
With that, Sae headed to the break room where the employees could take their breaks when they got them.
Over with Kotonoha, she had just placed her boyfriend's order onto his table. She was rewarded with a bright smile that made her heart flutter. Turning to the young man who was in his own seat, she decided to see if she could get some questions answered.
"Um, Amakusa-san?" she asked.
"Hmmm?" the young man blinked as he turned to face the young woman. "That's me. Can I help you, ma'am?"
"Are you friends with Ryuji-kun?" she asked bluntly. From where he was watching intently, Ryuji facefaulted into the table.
"Well, he's more like a friend of a friend," Devlin shrugged. "It was actually his brother Ryuki who suggested I come see the things here. Judging from the familiar reference though, you must be this Miss Kotonoha Katsura that Ryuki seemed to have a lot to talk about."
"That's me," Kotonoha smiled. "So you come from…Ryuji-kun's home?"
"I do," Devlin nodded.
"Hey!" Ryuji cried. "How come you weren't as informative with me!?"
"Katsura-san is asking deeper questions," Devlin answered. Ryuji growled and glared at the youngest Amakusa.
"You and your brother really know how to piss people off," Ryuji growled.
"Well, people say Onii-sama and I have that much in common," Devlin chuckled. "It's not intentional on my part unless you do something to annoy me."
"Hmph!" Ryuji snorted.
In the break room, Sae had locked the door and started to cry, palming her face as she stood against the door. "Why? Why is it that I can't find a boyfriend?" She remembered one day, 4 years ago on Valentine's Day, when she finally got the nerve to confess to an upperclassmen. It had been her 2nd year in middle school and the guy had been a third year. As soon as she'd said that she loved him and was about to give him her present, he declined and said, "Sorry, but I'm already seeing someone." That had broken her heart and she'd been suffering more heartbreaks since then.
Now, a new boy shows up, a really cute boy who was foreign and a complete gentleman, and he was already taken. "It's not fair," she sobbed. "Why can't I have someone to love that loves me?"
A golden orb floated above her and seemed to be observing. It could sense her sorrow and desperation. She would make a great contractor. All the Imagin needed to do was to find out what she wanted, get it for her, and go to the past to wreck havoc. An easy job since the Imagin knew what this girl wanted.
"I can see why Ryuji likes you," commented Devlin. "You're very pretty, Katsura-san." Kotonoha blushed and Ryuji was gritting his teeth. "Oh, no need to be jealous, Ryuji. I'm just telling it like it is. Sure, I flirt with girls but I never lead them on. I tell them I have a girlfriend but I know that women like to be complimented on their looks."
"Well, make sure to not do anything more than just compliment my girl, or else," Ryuji warned.
"Such hostility," smirked Devlin. "My brother was right about you. Mostly made up of Yin emotions but still with a bit of Yang."
Ryuji grumbled. He respected Devlin since the kid was a fellow Rider and was doing a great job back home fighting monsters known as Fangires. Still, he didn't like it when it looked like guys were trying to make a move on Kotonoha.
"So, why are you here?" asked Kotonoha.
"Oh, it was vacation time and I was bored. Wanted to check this place out."
"Did you use a train?" she asked. It was the only way she knew that allowed people to travel between dimensions.
"Oh, no," Devlin replied. "I came here on my own devices. Though, I am curious and wish to ride on one of those trains, I have something much better."
"Really?" Kotonoha gasped. "I didn't know there were other ways!"
"Well, they are rare and rather…expensive, but they exist," Devlin nodded.
"Hey, Katsura-san!" Sekai called from the counter. "There's still some more orders to send out!"
"Oh! Gomen! I'm coming!" Kotonoha cried as she dashed to help her friend.
"She's a real keeper," Devlin nodded. "I hope you plan to treasure her and your time together."
"She's my angel," Ryuji sighed. "If it wasn't for her, I'd still be that Orphenoch monster from back home."
"Yes, Danielle often does the same for me," Devlin smiled. "I'd be more like Onii-sama if it wasn't for her."
"I guess we have something in common then," Ryuji snickered. "Women who saved our lives."
"That we do," Devlin nodded. "Still, does she know about the anime?"
"Yes," Ryuji nodded. "She thought she was just a job for me at first, but she's been through my mind and I told her how much she means to me."
"A bold move," Devlin nodded. "Good. It tells me she means as much to you as you say. You did better than me though. Danielle found out I was Fang when I had to save her from a Fangire. It took her awhile to forgive me for keeping it from her."
"Hnn," Ryuji nodded. "It feels like you royally screwed up and you weren't sure if she'd ever want to see you again."
Devlin nodded. It seemed Ryuji was wise in relationships as well. It stood to reason since he had been with Kotonoha for so long. One couldn't be in a relationship like theirs for so long without knowing what they were doing.
Over with Sekai and Kotonoha, they were gossiping. Sekai had only said orders needed to be filled so she could hear what Kotonoha had discovered.
"So?" Sekai asked. "Why didn't Hasuma try to kick his butt?"
"Well, Ryuji-kun actually respects Amakusa-san," Kotonoha explained. "They aren't friends, yet, but are more like acquaintances. Ryuji-kun was only making sure that it was really Amakusa-san and not someone that looked the same."
"Oh," Sekai nodded, reeling at the fact that Ryuji respected someone. "So, does he really have a girlfriend or was he just saying that to keep girls away?"
"Yes," Kotonoha nodded. "He does. He mentioned her a few times."
"Oh no," Sekai sighed. "That's too bad. Sae really wanted to ask him for a date."
"It's okay," Kotonoha reasoned. "There are more guys out there."
"Maybe, but Sae has been getting shot down since her second year back in middle school," Sekai frowned sadly. "I'm really worried about her. She really needs someone in herlife."
It was later in the day and Sae was on her way home. As she walked, she saw a lot of couples walk past her. This just made her even more depressed. All these people looked so happy and she didn't have anyone. She'd spent so many days alone and wanted a boyfriend so badly. She wanted a boy to love who loved her.
She returned to her home, which was a room in a boarding house, and dropped to the floor on top of her futon. "Damn…why can't I get a guy of my own?" She was holding back tears as she screwed her eyes shut. She'd taken a job at Radish to maybe catch someone's eye but that wasn't working too well for her. All the guys that came either paid attention to the other more well-developed girls or were taken. Heck, she'd liked Ryuji when he came in but was surprised to when she found out that he was Kotonoha's girlfriend. Kotonoha would often talk about her boyfriend. Sekai even had a boyfriend called Makoto who she caught looking at her a few times as well as the other waitresses. Unfortunately, they were too young for her.
When Devlin had entered the restaurant, he held an air of sophistication around himself. The way he dressed was also pretty unique but it just drew the girl's attention. He was so polite with her and she decided that even if he was a couple of years younger, she could at least try to get to know him and maybe even get a date. No such luck when she found out that he already had a girlfriend.
The golden orb hovered over her. It watched her crying and sobbing into her futon. Perfect. Now was the time for it to strike. The Imagin orb dove straight into her body and she gasped in shock, arching her back from the sudden intrusion. Sand started pouring out of her clothes and then piled up in front of her. She sat up and scooted backwards as the sand started to form a humanoid figure from the waist up. The figure's legs dangled in the air above it. It 'walked' towards her and she couldn't escape it when she hit the wall. "Who…what are you?" she questioned.
The figure, which was an Imagin, instead answered with a question of its own in a childish voice, "Nee-chan, do you have a wish? I can grant any wish you want? So, do you? Do you, huh?" The Imagin, despite the child-like innocence it displayed, held cruel and malicious intent in its soulless eyes. "Come on, you can tell me!"
Kotonoha was held against the lockers by a male figure hovering over her. She had nowhere to escape as he was too strong for her. She could feel his hot breath against her neck as he started to take in her scent. She shivered from the sensation as his hands moved from her bare shoulders to her chest. She gasped when he squeezed her breasts and then moved his hands down her smooth stomach before resting on her hips. She looked into her captor's cold blue eyes as he stared intently into her large brown eyes.
Kotonoha was still in her work uniform. She'd walked into the locker room to get changed when someone entered and suddenly grabbed her. The guy was firm and gentle and didn't seem to want to hurt her. His attentions were pretty clear as he came near to her. She couldn't resist him as he held her against the lockers, undressing her with his eyes.
"You look so delicious right now," he whispered into her ear. "I want to take you right here, right now."
She finally spoke despite the haze of pleasure and anticipation in her mind, "Ryuji-kun, we can't do it here."
Her captor was really Ryuji and he'd silently snuck into the employee locker room to be alone with Kotonoha. The door was locked so they could be alone and have privacy.
Ryuji sighed and answered, "I know, but can you blame me? You're so hot and sexy right now in that uniform that I can't control myself. You're so irresistible." He started planting kisses on her neck which made her moan. "Come on, admit it. You want it as much as I do."
His words, his touches and his kisses were something that she enjoyed so much. He knew the right thing to say, the right ways and places to kiss and the right ways to touch her. Her face was flushed as she began panting. She wanted him right now too. Since he came in he never took his eyes off her and the hungry look he had just drove her mad with desire. Still, if they did it in here, they would get caught. If it was Sekai, it would be awkward. If it was Sekai's mother, who owned and ran the restaurant, who caught them then there would be a whole lot more trouble.
She decided to make a deal. "My parents aren't going to be home tonight and Kokoro-chan is sleeping over at a friend's house," she began. "How about I take this uniform home with me and then we can fool around as much as you want?" That was her offer and he looked thoughtful.
"OK," he told her. He could wait until they got to her place to ravage her. Thank goodness Athena stayed on the ChronoLiner along with Eros, using their hosts/contractors as portals into this world from aboard the time train. The two teens wouldn't get much privacy if their Imagin were present. Kotonoha had learnt how to block Athena out so the Amazon Imagin wouldn't feel anything that Kotonoha's body was experiencing whenever she and Ryuji made love. "I'm a patient man. I can wait." He smirked. "But first, a little sample." He then captured her mouth in a deep and passionate kiss. She closed her eyes and kissed him right back. Their tongues wrestled in their mouths before they parted. She was panting, her breath in gasps, as he smiled down on her. "Later, Tenshi-chan." She shuddered when he licked the sweat off her brow before backing away to the door, looking at her. His eyes seemed to glow in the dark as he unlocked the door, opened it, and walked out.
Kotonoha's heart was beating a mile a minute as he wore a wide smile on her face. Her boyfriend loved her so much! Well, maybe he loved her body but he considered making love to her as a bonus. Even if they didn't have sex, he would still be with her. That was why she loved him so much. He wasn't the type of guy to date girl only for sex. Kotonoha, of course, enjoyed having sex with him. He was a great lover and she loved to stare at his naked body. He had an athletic and muscular build that could make any girl drool just by staring at him. She also loved his hair which was surprisingly soft despite its wild appearance. She enjoyed running her hands through it. One time she'd gotten so excited that she tore a few locks of it off. She'd kept those locks of hair like a treasure, along with the cherry blossoms he had brought for her from the past. Ironically, she'd given him those same flowers in the past.
Kotonoha believed they were fated to be together. Ryuji, however, was a realist and didn't believe in fate. Either way, both were very happy. Kotonoha often wondered what would've happened if Ryuji never dropped into her life and she knew the answer from him. It took her a while to realize that he was right. She would've obsessed over Makoto, losing her mind, and maybe even…be willing to kill Sekai in her madness. Kotonoha knew herself that if anyone stole Ryuji from her, they would pay. Often she felt some evil impulse rising within her. That was when she'd bought the dozuki. She kept it on her so she had a weapon just incase she needed it. Ryuji had also been teaching her basic self-defense techniques as well as how to handle the saw like a sword.
Ryuji was the kind of guy one would only read in manga. He was a superhero in his own right and fought to protect the timeline. If anyone had told her she'd be dating a hero, she would just laugh but now that she was, she as grateful. She loved the way he looked in armor. She even loved the way he looked when he fused with Loki and wielding that huge red dozuki. The weapon was a tribute to her and her own dozuki and she was touched by the gesture.
Her Senshi…a wonderful boy who came into her life from another world… (Sigh)
Devlin walked out of a bookstore with a sigh. There was nothing of interest in it for him. He looked to the sky and noticed that it was darkening. He also noticed that he was alone on the sidewalk but he didn't mind. It let him be alone with hi thoughts. Of course, he wasn't totally alone as two small figures flanked him. One looked like a black and gold mechanical bat and the other looked like a small golden dragon.
"Didn't find anything interesting, did you, Devlin?" asked Fangula, the metal bat.
"Not really," the boy shrugged.
"Well, maybe we can look around more tomorrow, Master," said Roulette, the dragon.
"I was hoping to see if I can find one of those Imagin to fight," responded Devlin. "The last one was too weak."
"Or maybe you're just too strong," stated Fangula. "You have been training hard with the others."
"I know," Devlin agreed.
"You know, I wouldn't have mind staying longer in that restaurant," said Fangula hopefully. "Maybe we can stop by again tomorrow?"
"You just want to peep at the girls," Devlin retorted.
"My boy, I appreciate the beauty of women," retorted Fangula.
"You're just a pervert!" teased Roulette.
"What was that!?" snapped Fangula.
Devlin sighed. His partners had clashing personalities and only got along well when there was a Fangire to fight. The boy didn't notice that he was being followed. On the rooftops, a figure was watching him in deep interest.
"Amakusa-san is a Rider too?" Kotonoha responded, surprised by what her boyfriend was telling her as they arrived at her place.
"Yes," Ryuji nodded. "He's pretty new at this but he's got some game."
"What kind of monsters does he fights?" she asked.
"Oh, just some things called Fangires and…" His watch started to beep. "Oh, hell no!" Why was it that the thing would alert him of an Imagin when he was with Kotonoha. "Koto-chan, I need to go. I'll come back." She kissed his cheek and smiled. "Koto-chan."
"Go, I'll be waiting with a surprise for you," she said saucily. He swallowed and grinned before he started to run off. Kotonoha opened her door and went in. She had a lot to prepare and quickly.
Devlin stared at the figure standing before him. It looked humanoid and made of wood, wearing blue shorts with suspenders, white gloves, brown leather boots and carrying a sledgehammer on its back. Its face had white soulless eyes, a long pointed nose and it wore a pointed hat that was bent at the end with a skull-shaped bell hanging from it.
Devlin narrowed his eye. This was an Imagin…the Puppet Imagin.
"Are you unique?" the Puppet Imagin questioned.
"Pardon?" Devlin asked back. "Unique?" he repeated.
"Nee-chan wants a unique boyfriend so you better come with me." The Puppet Imagin's grin widened.
"Sorry, but I'm taken," Devlin responded. The grin on the Imagin's face vanished and was replaced by a look of anger. It pulled the hammer off its back and glared at Devlin.
"Well, then I better beat you up and take you by force!" the Puppet Imagin yelled as it charged at Devlin with the hammer. Devlin leapt backwards and dodged from the attacks with ease, his hands in his pockets. He avoided the wild swings of the hammer with the grace of a dancer. The weird thing was that his single visible eye was closed.
The Imagin was about to take one more swing at him when Devlin shot his arms forward and released the chains. He lashed the chains like whips and struck the Imagin hard with them. The Puppet Imagin fell backwards to glare at Devlin.
"Like I said, I'm taken," said Devlin coolly. He shouted out, "Fangula!"
"OK, let's go!" shouted the mechanical bat. Devlin grabbed Fangula in midair and held him against his free hand. The bat bit down and Devlin's Fangire markings appeared all over his skin. They were red, blue, green and purple stained glass patterns resembling tribal markings. With the Demon Emperor Power flowing through him, the ghostly chains wrapped around his waist and then melted together before turning into the blood red Fang Belt.
"Henshin!" Devlin called, thrusting Fangula out in front of him, before snapping the bat to his belt, upside down.
"Wake Up!"
Ghostly chains enveloped his entire body like a cocoon and finally shattered to reveal a new figure. He wore a black bodysuit under silver torso armor with a red chestplate that mimicked muscles. He wore red armored gloves and silver bracelets on his wrists and left ankle. The right leg from the knee down was encased in a metal boot bound by chains. The same chains bound his shoulder armor, which resembled folded bat wings. His helmet was the most intimidating, with a visor resembling bat wings and a bat head shaped ornament on his forehead. His mouth was covered by a silver mouthplate framed by fangs.
This figure was a warrior of the night. This was Masked Rider Fang, the Demon Prince and current heir of the Demon Emperor.
Fang struck hard and fast at the Imagin who just gawked at him in shock. The dark Rider took advantage of the Imagin's distraction and started raining powerful punches to its chest that sent it staggering backwards. The Puppet Imagin recovered and retaliated with a sideway swing from the right that Fang leapt over and then the Rider kicked his right leg into the Imagin's head, knocking it backwards. Fang curled his fingers to show that his fingertips had sharp claws. He used these claws to slash at the Imagin mercilessly. This was followed up by an elbow strike to the Imagin's chest then a vicious uppercut and finally a powerful side kick that sent it tumbling along the sidewalk.
Roulette floated next to his master. "Master, may I?" Fang silently declined the offer with the shake of his head. Instead, he reached to right left side of his belt and pulled out a red whistle designed after a belt and put it in Fangula's mouth. The mechanical bat flew off his perch and blew as he flew around Fang.
"Releasing the Chains of Fate!"
A crescent moon that shone with a red glow hovered high in the sky which had turned pitch black. The Puppet Imagin stepped backwards in fear as it watched Fang readying his attack. Fang bent his knees, crossed his arms at the wrist in front of him with the palms facing out, before spreading them to the side as he kicked his right leg up. Fangula flew around the boot, breaking the chains binding it to reveal a red layer underneath with green gem stones along the surface. The outer layer unfolded into a pair of demonic bat wings. Fang then leapt high into the air, the light of the moon behind him, before he plummeted towards the Imagin.
"BLOODY MOON SMASH!!"
Fang smashed into the Imagin as it tried to flee, smashing it to the ground, creating a crater in the shape of his emblem that looked like a large bat and leaving the same emblem on the Imagin as he stepped off. The Puppet Imagin then exploded into oblivion.
Ryuji had just shown up to watch the display and instead of looking angry, he gave an approving smile. "Kid's got some game."
What neither of them knew was that another figure had been watching the fight and snickered, "Nee-chan will be so happy when I bring him to her! He is so unique!"
"So, there' a new Rider in town," stated Miyako as she sat across from Ryuji and Kotonoha in Radish. Today was Kotonoha's day off and she wanted to enjoy it alone with Ryuji. Unfortunately, Miyako had to show up to talk to them about something that happened last night.
"What makes you say that?" Kotonoha asked.
"Oh, just heard a few rumors here and there," stated Miyako offhandedly. She'd gotten a sudden call the previous night at her office from a witness telling her he'd seen a Rider fighting one of those monsters, which she'd learnt was an Imagin.
"It could be Garoh or Ryukendo," said Ryuji. Miyako had been trying to get him to reveal the other two Riders' identities but she knew she wasn't going to get any answers from him. "Or maybe even Wraith."
"No," Miyako shook her head. "The description doesn't match. It's a new guy and I think you know that too."
"Sorry, but I was with Koto-chan the entire time," said Ryuji.
Miyako frowned. Ryuji was a pretty good liar but she knew he was withholding information.
The bell at the door rang and Devlin entered. The one to greet him was Sae. "Konnichiwa, welcome to Radish."
"Greeting, Ishida-san," he replied. "How are you doing today?" She blushed and averted her eyes. He was just so sinfully handsome.
"I'm fine, sir. Please, let me show you to a table," she offered.
Sae giggled as she led Devlin over to a free table. She knew that he was taken, but she could at least fantasize about it for a while. His girlfriend wasn't in town so she could pretend that he was making eyes at her for at least a little while. That alone would really make her day.
Devlin contented himself to his meal. Be it a guilty pleasure, but he liked to hang out in places where flowers bloomed. It really didn't matter if it was flowers or women, just knowing they were blooming brought a smile to his face. He would have preferred to be with Danielle, but she was off at a family reunion so he had to go it alone.
After his meal, Sae returned with the bill. As he took out his wallet to pay, Sae began to turn redder as she fiddled with her tray.
"Um…A…Amakusa-san?" she spoke timidly with an increasing blush.
"Yes, Ishida-san?" Devlin asked.
"Um…I heard you were on vacation here," Sae mumbled. "Is that true?"
"Yes it is," Devlin nodded. "I'll be here for a couple of days. After that, I'll have to head back home."
"Oh," Sae nodded, looking a little disappointed. She then began to brighten up. "W-well, I was wondering if…you would like to…hang out a little…with me? As friends of course!"
Devlin gave the waitress a neutral gaze. He then smiled at her which made her heart flutter, "Of course I would."
"G-great!" She felt overjoyed, even if it was a fake date. It was still better than nothing. "So…later? When I get off work?"
"Where should we meet then?"
Both Ryuji and Kotonoha were passionately making out on the couch. Ryuji had sent Loki out on an errand, leaving the two teens alone. He was on top of the girl, their lips locked tightly together as they embraced intimately. Ryuji moved from her lips to her neck when she had trouble breathing. The girl panted, gasped and the moaned when he started nibbling on her neck. "Ryu-Ryuji-kun…" He smiled. He loved hearing her moan. Hopefully, nobody interrupted them.
Knock! Knock!
Ryuji heard it the first time but chose to ignore it and give all his attention to the girl under him. Of course, the knocking continued on.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!
Ryuji sighed as he went to the door to see who was knocking. If it was some salesman or someone looking for a handout then they were going to get their asses kicked. He had just wanted a quiet night with Kotonoha and that was apparently being denied. Gripping the door handle, he ripped the door open, "WHAT?!"
"You know, Ryuki is much more polite," Devlin Amakusa answered.
"Who is it, Ryuji-kun?" Kotonoha asked as she walked closer to the door.
"Amakusa," Ryuji answered. Looking to the youngest Amakusa, he quickly got to the heart of the matter. "What do you want, Amakusa? I was hoping for a quiet night."
"Well you're going to have to postpone that," Devlin sighed as he stepped inside. "I have some news."
"Like what?" Devlin frowned as he shut the door. "I thought that Ishida woman was going to show you around."
"That's part of why I'm here," Devlin answered as he took his backpack off. Unzipping it, he continued. "I sensed something that I am unfamiliar with."
As the zipper opened, two blurs shot out of the bag. Kotonoha gasped as she took in the image of the two beings. One was a tiny metal bat and the other was a tiny gold dragon. They both flapped into the air and hovered over the small group. Taking notice of the added company, the metal bat flew down to Kotonoha while the dragon flew to Ryuji.
"Hello, young lady!" greeted the bat.
"Konichawa!" the dragon added.
"Uhh…hey," Ryuji waved weakly.
"Kawaii!!" Kotonoha squealed before she trapped both bat and dragon in her hug while she cuddled the both of them. Ryuji bristled as he saw the pleased look of Fangula pressed against his girlfriend's chest, but was amused at the fact that Roulette was blushing so brightly.
Shiro Ikari was upset. Very upset. Why? Well the girl he'd been pining over was dating another girl that was why!
"Damn it, I was too late," he muttered. He took out his cell phone and flipped it open to reveal a picture of Sae in her uniform inside. "If only I had asked her out sooner."
Shiro had just graduated from high school and to celebrate he and his buddies went to Radish. That was the first time he ever laid eyes on Sae. She was so beautiful and yet Shiro was too shy to even look her in the eye, even when she came to take his order. He would come to Radish everyday to catch a glimpse of her and maybe even ask her out on a date, once he had the nerve. His dreams, however, were dashed away, when she saw her earlier that day with a guy dressed in black and white.
A golden orb hovered above Shiro as he lay on the floor of his room, utterly depressed. The orb decided that the boy would make an ideal host so without warning it bolted into him. Shiro sat up in shock as sand starting pouring out of his clothes and then moved to pile up in front of him into a humanoid figure with features from a Walrus. The strange part was that its upper body was on the floor while its lower body and legs hovered above it. The legs looked decked in armor and the upper body of the sand creature looked just as muscular.
"Tell me your wish, boy! Tell me now and I promise you I'll grant it!' the creature stated.
"So, how did your date with Ishida-san go?" asked Kotonoha.
"It wasn't a date," corrected Devlin, "Just an outing between two new friends."
Ryuji snorted in disbelief, "Right, tell me another one."
"She was just showing me around town and was the perfect tour guide," Devlin stated. "But that isn't what I came here to tell you."
"Then what?" Kotonoha asked with Roulette perched on her left shoulder and Fangula flapping at her right. The sealed vampire and small dragon seemed quite taken with her.
"Well, while I was with her, I sensed a strange aura signature," said Devlin. "I wasn't sure what it meant but sine you're the resident Rider, I was hoping you know."
Ryuji looked thoughtful for a second. He then asked, "Did she have sand spilling out of her clothes?"
Kotonoha gasped, "Ryuji-kun, you don't think that Ishida-san would…"
"Well, I did see a sand trailing behind her once or twice," said Devlin. "Is that important?"
"You really don't have much experience fighting Imagin, do you?" questioned Ryuji.
"So, that is what these demons are called," Devlin noted. "Go on."
"Imagin initially don't have bodies of their own but by making a contract with a person, they can fashion themselves a new body out of images from that person's memories, usually from a fairytale, myth or legend if I'm not mistaken," explained Ryuji. "The contract is fulfilled when Imagin grant their contractors their wish. Of course, it comes with a price."
"Most wishes do," agreed Devlin. "And most wish-granters are tricky."
"Well, these Imagin will usually grant wishes the wrong way but they don't care as long as it is granted, even if it means hurting people," continued Ryuji. "Then, once the contract is completed, they fly to the past by using their contractors as a portal. In the past, they'll destroy everything and this will also affect the present and future."
Devlin looked thoughtful. It would appear that these Imagin were no less a threat than Fangires. They just had different goals but in the end it still meant the endangerment of innocents.
"So, you are saying Ishida-san made a contract with an Imagin?" Devlin inquired.
"It's the only explanation," replied Ryuji. "I suggest you watch her and find out if she'd made any wishes lately."
"We'll watch over her too," added Fangula. "A girl like her should not be harmed!"
"Pyun! Pyun!" Roulette agreed. "We will protect her from the Imagin!"
Sae sighed dreamily as she twirled a dark red rose in her fingers. True, it hadn't been a real date, but it had come pretty close. She had gone out on the town with a handsome boy who she knew found her attractive. Even if she was playing the tour guide, she admitted that she had fun.
So what is there to do around here, Ishida-san?" Devlin asked curiously.
"Oh, a couple of things," Sae smiled. "Still, just for tonight, could you call me Sae?"
Devlin had met up with Sae at a fountain that was a popular place. This fountain was one of the only places that Devlin knew. He was still new in the area and Sae knew it rather well. She had dressed for the occasion with a red blouse and a skirt which ended just above her knees. She wanted to look nice, but not like she was interested. Devlin did have a girlfriend after all.
Devlin then showed up with his black violin case and a white shirt underneath a black vest with black pants. He was wearing a fedora and had his hair covering his right eye. Sae smiled, still wishing she had someone like him as a boyfriend.
"I suppose just for today," Devlin smiled. "Now, shall we begin the tour?"
"Of course!" Sae smiled. "Just try to keep up!"
Sae felt like she was in a happy daze. As much as she reminded herself that it wasn't a date, she couldn't help but feel like it was. She showed off the shopping district to Devlin, pointing out the best places where deals could be found. He seemed especially interested in the bookstores that were there.
At one point, she showed Devlin the park where there was plenty of space for all sorts of things. She liked the idea of him seeing her as a woman, if only in her fantasies. As she was walking along the path, she didn't notice some sand slip out of her sleeves and drop onto the ground. Devlin spied the substance and raised an eyebrow. Alternate timelines could be odd, but he knew people didn't normally excrete sand in this timeline.
A few hours later, Sae and Devlin were eating at an outdoor café. Sae was enjoying a sundae while Devlin was content with some tea.
"So, Amakusa-san," Sae spoke up, "What's your girlfriend like?"
"Danielle?" Devlin asked. "Well, she's American; very bright and self-sufficient. I had actually met her when I was taking a trip through the United States. I'm not really sure when it started, but we suddenly ended up in a relationship."
"I see," Sae nodded. "I must be honest, I've known you for only a couple of days, but I'm rather…attracted to you."
"I'm flattered," Devlin nodded, " but I'm sure you overheard my conversation with a Ryuji that I'm taken."
"So why did you accept my offer?" Sae asked.
"Well, it seemed you needed the company," Devlin answered. "And I find you to be pleasant company. Besides, I would rather have you as a friend than someone secretly pining after me."
"I see," Sae nodded. "You have no idea how many boys I've tried to date were either taken or just wanted to be friends."
"That's too bad," Devlin sighed. "I was sure that someone like you would have at least had one relationship already."
"Nope," Sae frowned. "I've never been in a relationship. I'm really envious of Katsura-san and Saionji-san. I mean, Ryuji and Makoto sound like great guys."
"Well, don't believe everything you hear," Devlin grimaced. "Ryuji has something of a temper and Itou was…rather poor at relationships for a while."
"How do you know that?" Sae asked in confusion.
"Ryuji is rather proud of his relationship with Katsura-san and likes to tell the story of how they got together," Devlin answered as he sipped his tea. "It's really a lengthy and complicated story."
"Bet it's romantic though," Sae sighed wistfully.
"That's…one word for it," Devlin nodded.
"So, I suppose this night is going to end?" Sae frowned.
"Well, I do have one thing to thank you with," Devlin smiled. Hefting up his case, he showed it to Sae. He opened it up and Sae watched as he took out the most beautiful violin she'd ever seen. She gasped when she realized what he was about to do. With a wink, he stood up and said, "This is for you, Sae Ishido." He then played a song for her on his violin.
The night had ended wonderfully. Devlin had been nothing less than a complete gentleman. He was also so romantic. They'd talked about many things and she was surprised that he wanted to be makeup artist and hairstylist one day. She wondered why he didn't want to become a musician. He did indeed have the talent for it. She could still hear piece he'd played for her. It had been a magical song that she would never forget. He'd also given her this rose, telling her that it would bring her luck in the love department. This was her first present from a boy and she would cherish it always. Any girl who got Devlin for a boyfriend would probably be the luckiest and happiest girl in the world.
The very next day, Ryuji came by Radish again but this time he was joined by Devlin. The younger Rider took a look around and spotted Sae waiting tables. When she saw him, she smiled brightly and gave him a wave. He waved back as he went towards the counter.
The two Riders agreed to watch Sae just incase her Imagin returned. Devlin hadn't been able to ask her if she had wished for anything but got a pretty good idea. She wanted the perfect boyfriend who was also unique. It sounded familiar but he couldn't recall where.
Things still appeared pretty normal and there didn't seem to be any trouble. Ryuji could see some specks of sand falling off Sae, confirming her to be an Imagin contractor. The real question was: where was the Imagin?
Suddenly, the door was thrown open and one of the waitresses screamed as a humanoid decked in Viking-like attire with a walrus head came into the restaurant. It carried a pair of menacing spiked maces and looked vicious. With a roar, it smashed a hole in the wall, shouting, "WHERE IS HE!?"
Devlin's eyes narrowed as he reached into his pocket where his Fang Whistle was. Ryuji also gripped his pass, ready to take down this Walrus Imagin.
The Imagin strode into the restaurant, ignoring the rest of the customers. Its red eyes fell upon Devlin who was sitting on the counter and it knew that this was its target. Its contractor wanted the obstacle to his love-life to be eliminated and that was what it was going to do. It roared and charged straight for Devlin whose back was facing it.
"WATCH OUT!" shouted Sae.
The mace came down and destroyed the seat but not the sitter. Devlin had managed to avoid the fatal death strike by slipping around the Imagin, quickly and fluidly. The Imagin spun around to knock Devlin's head off his shoulders but the boy ducked from the swing, holding his hat onto his head. Devlin backed away but his face showed no fear. Instead, he had his eye narrowed and smirking. "Come and get me," he challenged and ran out the door with the Walrus Imagin giving chase.
Devlin ran as the Walrus Imagin went after him. The teen Rider had to find a safe place to fight, someplace without any people. He couldn't risk anybody getting hurt. When he reached an empty construction site, he smirked in satisfaction. This was where they would fight. He spun around and saw the Imagin glaring straight at him.
"So, this is where you wish to die," said the Walrus Imagin. "OK."
"Sorry, but I'm not interested in dying," said Devlin as he took the Fang Whistle out of his pocket. He was about to blow into it when he heard a loud yell.
"STOP!"
Devlin looked to see who'd shouted and saw a guy running towards them and then standing between him and the Imagin.
"Move aside," the Walrus Imagin ordered. "Isn't this what you want?"
"I didn't want you to kill him," said Shiro. He turned to look at Devlin. "Sorry about this, it's just because…"
"You like Sae," finished Devlin. Shiro nodded.
"Move aside," the Walrus Imagin ordered, "I may need you alive, but that doesn't mean I can't hurt you."
"Sir, please move," said Devlin. "Run."
"No way!" Shiro said firmly. "I'm not running away from this."
"Amakusa-san!" they heard a female shout and both boys could see Sae running towards them. She must've followed them.
"Sae! Don't come any closer!" shouted Devlin.
"Sae-san, run away, please!" shouted Shiro. Sae recognized him. He always came into Radish but never looked at her.
"So, this is the woman you wanted?" the Walrus Imagin snorted, "Well, let's see how you like her when she's dead!" The Walrus Imagin hurled one of its maces at Sae who screamed. Suddenly the made was knocked aside as a familiar figure stood protectively in front of Sae.
"Not going to let you hurt her until I finish my contract!" laughed the Puppet Imagin as it gripped its hammer. Devlin eye narrowed. He knew it was too good to be true. "I still need her!"
"Don't get in my way!" roared the Walrus Imagin.
Devlin told Shiro, "Take Sae and run!"
"What about you?" Shiro questioned.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Shiro hesitated and nodded before he ran towards Sae and took her hand, leading her away.
The two Imagin argued back and forth but soon reached a conclusion. "You know, there is a way we can fulfill both our contracts," said the Walrus Imagin. "Your contractor wants a unique boyfriend and mine wants him eliminated. So, wouldn't a dead boyfriend be unique enough?"
"Of course! Nee-chan never said he had to be alive!" giggled the Puppet Imagin insanely. "Let's do this!"
"Oh, great," muttered Devlin. It would've been nice if the two Imagin had tried to kill each other instead. He called, "Fangula!" before blowing the whistle.
"OK!" shouted Fangula as he came flying down. Devlin grabbed his partner and pressed him against his free hand, allowing him to bite down and inject the Demon Emperor Power, thus causing the markings and the belt to appear.
"Henshin!" Devlin called before snapping Fangula to the belt
"Wake Up!" called out Fangula, allowing the chains to engulf the boy's body. The chains shattered and in place of Devlin Amakusa was Masked Rider Fang.
The two Imagin started their attack and swung their weapons at him. Fang couldn't find an opening to launch a proper counter attack as the two Imagin worked together to kill him. The Walrus Imagin smashed him into some wooden planks and then the Puppet Imagin came dropping down to crush him with his hammer. Fang rolled out of the way as the Puppet Imagin turned the planks to splinters and laughed as it started to attack Fang again along with the Walrus Imagin.
The Walrus Imagin managed to grab Fang from behind, trapping him in a bear hug. He struggled against the Imagin but couldn't move. The Puppet Imagin then stalked towards him, hammer ready to pulverize him.
"Bye bye," the Puppet Imagin said cruelly as it raised up its hammer. All of a sudden, another figure entered the fight before the finishing blow could be dealt. The figure slashed at the Puppet Imagin with his swords and Fang got out of the Walrus Imagin's grip by smashing the back of his head against its face. The Walrus Imagin howled in pain from the hit and let go of Fang who then kicked the Imagin in the stomach.
"Sorry," apologized Ifrit. "Did I come too late?"
"You're just in time," responded Fang.
"Let's finish this," said Ifrit, summoning Loki's contract ticket as he banished his swords. Fang too summoned additional help.
"Loki!" called Ifrit.
"Roulette!" called Fang.
"I'm here!" Loki appeared in a flash of light, hearing Ifrit's call and stood before him. The Puppet Imagin recovered and then charged straight for Ifrit. Ifrit swiped the ticket over his belt in response.
"LOKI FORM!"
"Tadaa!!" cheered Roulette as he flew around Fang. He had been close by to hear his master's call for help. "Looks like it's time for me to shine! Tension Fortissimo!" The golden dragon flew across Fang's chest and broke the chains, freeing the wings and unleashing the swarm of golden bats. Roulette then connected to Fang's left forearm, shouting out, "FINAL WAKE UP!"
The transformations were instantaneous. Loki combined with Ifrit, turning his armor red and bodysuit black with blue eyepieces on his visor and a cape hanging from his back. The golden bats returned to Fang and engulfed him, causing him to glow gold before the light dispersed and revealed him in his golden Demon Emperor Form.
His Demon Emperor Form possessed the same black bodysuit but now he was adorned in golden armor. He had golden gauntlets and boots and matching torso armor with spiked shoulders and a red chestplate that resembled demon wings and had three green gems running down the middle. His helmet's visor gained a white trim and his mouthplate became pitch black. A crescent moon ornament adorned his forehead. The final piece of his ensemble was the red cape which hung from his back, giving him a more regal look, just like a king.
The two Imagin exchanged glances before attacking. Ifrit summoned his Loki Slicer and pressed the button on his belt. "FULL CHARGE!"
Fang didn't even give the Walrus Imagin a chance. He attacked mercilessly with snap kicks that caused sparks to explode off the Imagin's body. The kicks slammed into the Imagin's stomach, chest and face. Fang then used a roundhouse that caused the Imagin to stagger and then performed a side kick that sent it sailing into the support beams. Fang then brought up Roulette and tugged at his head.
"WAKE UP FEVER!!" A red aura flared up around Fang.
The Puppet Imagin was cut down immediately by Ifrit's attack as the Rider sliced it up in four pieces with a downward vertical slash and a horizontal slash from the right. It screamed and exploded.
The Walrus Imagin was too defeated as Fang executed a variation of the, "IMPERIAL MOON BREAK!" Fang performed a roundhouse with an energy blade attached to his leg. The blade cut through the Walrus Imagin and the monster exploded from the attack. The energy around Fang faded as he looked upon the blaze before turning away and walking towards his ally.
"I'm glad that's over," said Fang.
"Heads up, because it's not over yet," said Ifrit cautiously
"Huh?"
"Look."
Ifrit and Fang both watched as the remains of the two Imagin they'd defeated suddenly collected together and then expanded, reforming in two giant beasts that were known collectively as Gigandeaths. One resembled a black and red cat-like creature with large muscles, razor sharp teeth and horns. This was the Gigandeath Hell. The second one looked like a bastardized amalgam of three different flying animals. It had the skull of a bird for a head, the body of a wasp, the right wing of a bird and the left wing of a bat. This was the Gigandeath Heaven.
"Well, at least Imagin and Fangires have this in common," muttered Fang, recalling how Fangires would turn into giant Sabbats. The Hell roared as the Heaven screeched before they started attacking the city.
The ChronoLiner, at Ifrit's command, pulled up beside the two Riders. As Ifrit boarded his time train, he asked Fang, "You coming?"
"No," declined Fang, showing Ifrit a draconic looking whistle, "I got it covered."
Ifrit gave a nod and entered his train to take his place on the bike on the cockpit. He gripped the handlebars and shouted, "OK, you bastards, let's play!"
Outside the ChronoLiner, Fang tossed the whistle into the air. Fangula flew off his perch and grabbed the whistle in his mouth. With a deep breath, the mechanical bat blew, summoning their secret weapon.
The ChronoLiner engaged both Gigandeath, blasting them with its powerful artillery. The Hell roared and spat fireballs that exploded against the time train.
"Kuso!" cursed Ifrit. "Amakusa, what the hell is taking you so long!?"
The Hell continued its barrage as the Heaven fired at the train with its stingers. It would never run out of those flying spikes which scraped across the surface of the train. They were like harpoons and would've pierced right through if not for the train's superior armored plating.
Suddenly, the Heaven and Hell were taken by surprise as a gigantic dragon decked in a castle for armor rammed into the two of them straight out of nowhere. The dragon roared and blasted at the two monsters with its own barrage of fireballs.
Ifrit wasn't surprised to see the dragon. He'd seen it before when he used to be a part of Ryuki. He could see that Fang was standing atop the castle's clock tower, arms spread out and his cape flowing behind him.
"Hmph," snorted Ifrit. "Show off."
The Great Dragoon took to the air with a powerful roar to engage the Heaven as the ChronoLiner opened fire upon the Hell once more. Both train and dragon possessed extreme firepower, quite literally for the dragon. Together, they made short work of both monstrous beasts.
Fang maintained his balanced upon his dragon's back as it dodged to avoid the Heaven's hailstorm of stingers. The Great Dragoon retaliated with a barrage of fireballs, causing the Gigandeath to screech in pain from the explosions erupting all over its body.
Meanwhile, Ifrit was circling the Hell and blasting it continuously with lasers and missiles along with a bombardment of bombs.
Fang decided to end the battle and tugged on Roulette's head. "WAKE UP FEVER!!" The sky darkened and became night with a blood red full moon in the background. Fang's eyes were completely focused on the Heaven before launching himself into the air to execute his attack.
Ifrit too decided to end his fight as well and completely annihilated the Hell with a powerful laser blast from its laser turrets. It roared and was no more as Ifrit obliterated it.
Fang came down upon the Heaven and, despite their differences in size, was able to destroy it with his, "IMPERIAL MOON BREAK!!" attack. The Heaven, like its brethren, exploded fantastically in the air as Fang landed back upon his dragon, watching the fireworks as the sky turned back to normal.
The next day at Radish, Miyako came by to show both Ryuji and Kotonoha the front page of the day's paper. "Take a look at this." The headline read: 'Double Rider Power. Who is the other Rider and where did he get his dragon?' It had a picture of Fang on the Great Dragoon battling the Gigandeath along with the ChronoLiner.
"So?" Ryuji didn't seem to get the point. The three of them were seated at a table. Kotonoha sat beside her boyfriend as Miyako sat across from them. Kotonoha was on break.
"The next issue is coming up and I need a great story! The last one when I interviewed Ifrit was great, but I need another one. So, can you help me find out who the other Riders is?" Miyako said.
"Sorry, Serizawa," Ryuji insincerely apologized. "I can't help you with that. All I can tell you is that he's called Fang."
"Darn," she grumbled. At least she got a name. That was not enough but it was a start.
"Well, at least one good thing came out of it," Kotonoha said as she pointed over to where Sae and Shiro were talking. Sae was taking the day off and was sitting across from Shiro at one of the tables. Both had a slight flush to their faces, but the happy grins were unmistakable. "I'm glad Ishida-san finally found love."
"Those two look great together," admitted Ryuji with a smile. Nothing brought people together like a crisis.
"Well, my break is over," said Kotonoha as she stood up. "I'll see you later." With that, Ryuji watched her leave and couldn't take his eyes off her rear when she swayed her hips. Miyako grinned and Ryuji caught the look the older woman was giving him.
"What? I'm a guy. I appreciate pretty things," Ryuji defended. The bell at the door rang as another familiar face entered. "And here he comes."
Devlin was greeted by one of the waitresses but declined to be led to a table, stating that he was coming to meet a friend.
"Hello, Ryuji," Devlin greeted warmly. He turned to look at Miyako curiously. "Who is this?"
"Miyako Serizawa from Sakakino Star Magazine," Miyako grinned as she handed over a business card. "Are you a friend of Ryuji's? The mysterious Fang perhaps?" She was just making guesses here.
"Oi! Serizawa!" Ryuji snapped.
Devlin just chuckled, "Well, I'm not really sure there's a point in denying it. So yes, I am Fang."
"All right!" Miyako grinned ecstatically. She instantly whipped her notepad and a pencil out. "Do you think I could bother you for an interview?
"Sadly, no," Devlin answered. "I'm afraid that Fang's appearance here is going to be a one-time thing only. I'm just here on vacation."
"What?" Miyako frowned. "But...there's still so much people want to know! Can't you at least give us an insight into the last fight?"
"Sorry, but as cliché as this sounds, I can only say 'No Comment'."
Ryuji nearly laughed when he saw the dumbfounded look on Miyako's face. She could not believe anybody would just decline an interview like that. She should just grow used to it, though. Riders, by nature, were a secretive bunch.
Devlin looked over towards Sae and Shiro and smiled as he saw the couple. It would appear that he'd done them a favor. Shiro and Sae looked happy together and Devlin was satisfied with the results. He'd helped a beautiful maiden find love.
Ryuji was waiting for Kotonoha in her living room. Tonight, she and he were going out on a date but Devlin ended up making a surprise visit. As usual, her folks were working late but Kokoro was still around and sitting close to her beloved Ryuji-niichan, beaming with a pink tint on her cheeks as she hugged his arm. Ryuji was dressed in a navy buttoned down shirt and matching slacks. His hair was combed and braided for a change.
Devlin, as soon as he saw Kotonoha in her beautiful red dress, swept her away to her room because he wanted to give her a quick makeover. That had been 15 minutes ago.
Devlin walked down the stairs, grinning, and said, "Presenting, the new and improved, Kotonoha Katsura!" He clapped. Ryuji often wondered if Devlin was gay. He sure acted like it.
When Kotonoha came downstairs, Ryuji's breath got caught in his throat. She looked absolutely stunning. The thin layer of makeup applied to her face really brought out her beauty. She had wore some eye shadow to accentuate her eyes, some light blush that made her cheeks sparkle, and the light red lipstick contrasted well with her pale skin. He had to admit that Devlin did excellent work.
"Onee-chan, you look like a princess!" Kokoro exclaimed.
"Koto-chan, you look…like an angel," Ryuji said which made the girl in question blush.
"Arigatou, Ryuji-kun," she smiled at him which made him blush a little. "And arigatou to you too, Amakusa-kun."
"It's a personal code of mine to beautify the world, one flower at a time," Devlin declared. "And Miss Katsura has finally bloomed, like a rose." Kotonoha's hair had been done up with a clip and she wore a beautiful red rose in it to match her dress, which had thin spaghetti straps and came down to just above her knees. She also carried a handbag and wore the ring he'd given her for Valentine's Day. "Now, you two kids have fun. I'll be happy to baby sit Kokoro-chan for you."
"I'm not a baby!" the little girl frowned. A white aura then surrounded her as a figure stepped out from her body.
"And she already has a guardian," stated Eros, "Yours truly."
"And me," added Athena as she came out of Kotonoha. She turned towards her mistress and smiled. "Lady Kotonoha, you look simply stunning."
"Well, it looks like I'm not needed anymore, so I'll be off then." Devlin put on his hat and headed for the door with his makeup case. "Bye."
"Come on, Koto-chan," Ryuji winked, "Our chariot awaits." He didn't have a car, and his bike was out of the question, so they were going to use the ChronoLiner to get to the restaurant. She looped her arm around his before he led towards the door.
"Nuts," Miyako sighed as she walked to her car. Her office hours were over and she needed to get her last articles together for the next publication. She had wanted an article on Fang, but that wasn't looking good at the moment. "The best stories in the country and I can't report them."
Heading out to her car, she noticed an odd character leaning on it while reading a scroll. He was dressed up like the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, complete with the top hat. His hair was dirty blonde and he had a pointed nose.
"Uh…can I help you?" Miyako asked curiously.
"Hm? Oh, hello, Miss Serizawa," the young man grinned as he looked up from his scroll. Rolling it up, he stuck it in his coat before turning to her. "Actually, I was hoping I could help you."
"Oh yeah?" Miyako sighed. "What do you have that can help me?"
"Several things," the young man shrugged. "However, what I am offering is information on Fang. Interested?"
Topper hadn't even blinked before Miyako was in front of him, gripping the lapels of his coat. She was shaking him, threatening to knock the hat off his head while shouting, "What?! You had better not be joking!"
"I am not joking," the young man grinned as he released himself from the reporter's hands. Reaching up for his hat, he pulled it off before pulling out a brown envelope. "Right here is all the information you'll need for your article."
"Gimmie!" Miyako shouted like a child, reaching for the envelope.
"Ah, ah ah!" the young man chided as he pulled the envelope back. "This information doesn't come free."
"Name your price!" Miyako cried.
The young man grinned. Those were his favorite words.