I do not own any characters from the Justice League Unlimited series or from Kamen Rider OOO. They belong to their creators. I will only claim ownership of any original characters, monsters, Core Medals, Combos and Greeed that appear in this story. Any other OC used in this series that belongs to another author is done so with his/her permission beforehand. This story is set as a cross-section between the JLU and KR OOO.
Justice League: OOO Unlimited
The three things that happened last time…
~ Hitotsu – Batman and Wonder Woman go to the Fortress of Solitude to give Superman his birthday gifts but find him under the control of the Black Mercy.
~ Futatsu – Mongul appears and fights them but Eiji soon shows up to lend the two League Founders a hand.
~ Soshite Mittsu – Once Superman is free, he and Eiji are able to hold Mongul back until Wonder Woman and Batman can place the Black Mercy on him instead.
As the day shifted from morning to early afternoon, Gotou shifted under the silver colored blanket that covered both his bed and his body. He had only gotten to sleep a few hours earlier after pulling an all-nighter so that he could overhaul the last of the Candroids and he didn't really want to get up at the moment. But the sounds coming from the gym which was located on the second floor of their apartment just didn't make it any easier. Groaning, Gotou pulled away the covers and looked over at the door.
'Damn, can't those two go to the Watchtower to train instead of doing it here?' Gotou complained to himself mentally as he could hear Eiji and Ankh training below. Letting out a sigh, he got up and walked over to his dresser, pulling out his underclothes for the day before walking over to his closet and pulling out his outfit as well. Looking at the clock on the wall, 'Damn, I only got about four hours of sleep.'
Letting out another sigh as he started the shower and striped before getting in, allowing the warm water to relax his mind and body as he began to think on what he was going to do today. While he was still on the disabled list after the last bout in the simulator, he was still asked to help with some of the technical duties back at the tower which he didn't seem to mind all that much. But he wasn't scheduled to come in at all today and his job at Bruce's company wouldn't start for another two weeks. Until then the billionaire had been paying for their things until they all got their own jobs and started pulling in a bit of a stable income. He would still pay the electric, utilities and cable bill but he trusted Ankh, Eiji and Gotou to pay their own way for the rest of what they needed.
After taking a few minutes to wash up, Gotou got out of the shower and dried off before readying himself for the day ahead. His outfit only consisted of a pair of blue jeans and black shoes and a black t-shirt and grey jacket. Combing his hair and brushing his teeth, Gotou then left his bathroom and grabbed his backpack which held his Birth Driver and also grabbed his Birth Buster before leaving his room.
Arriving at the second floor, he entered the gym to see both Ankh and Eiji in their evolved Greeed forms going at it in a simple game of block and counter. Their moves were neat and fluid as Eiji had started to train both Ankh and Gotou with some of the moves that Taikawa-sensei had taught him during his exhibition match. While growing stronger was important, knowing more fighting techniques and adding them into your own repertoire of skills was also greatly important as well.
He noticed Ankh strike out at Eiji with a cross-chop which Eiji blocked with his forearm before quickly pushing Ankh's arm away and then striking Ankh in the chest with a palm strike, the blow sending Ankh skidding across the floor and into a punching bag that hung from the ceiling.
"Not bad, Hino," Gotou complimented. Eiji and Ankh looked at him before reverting to their human forms.
"Meh, it was just a lucky counter," Ankh retorted as he grabbed himself a towel and a bottle of water, drying off and cooling off at the same time.
"It's only luck on the first try, Ankh," Eiji reminded. "So far, I've countered your moves over fifteen different times." Ankh just tisked at him before continuing to drink his water while Gotou just shook his head. "Gomen, Gotou-san. If we woke you up then we apologize."
"Nah, it's okay. I was thinking about going up to the tower today to run some last minute adjustment plans past Bruce for the three new Candroid models and I also want to look over some of the Greeed protocol data again so that we won't have a repeat like the other day."
"Well, it was the girl's fault for jumping the gun in that training battle," Ankh chided. "Even if it was a fake, it was a pretty good one."
Eiji and Gotou nodded in agreement. That Kazari-droid had done a number on Gotou as he was still recovering. While he would be able to go back out on missions in another couple of days, he had spent the last three days sleeping and lying on the couch with his ribs wrapped up in an ace bandage. Diana and the other Founders had come to check on him during that time and Gotou had even gone up to the tower to finish the last of the preparations for Superman's birthday present but he had yet to run into Donna during all that time. It was as if she was trying to avoid him. As if she felt guilty for getting him injured.
Looking over at Gotou, "So, Gotou-san, what are the new models for the Candroid system?" Eiji asked him as he dried himself off and took a sip from his water bottle.
"Well, there's the Kuwagata (Stag Beetle) Candroid. It can be used as a phone and its horns are sharp enough to cut through most materials." Eiji and Ankh nodded at that one. It would be useful. "Then there's the Sai (Rhino) Candroid which, like the Tora (Tiger) Candroid, can attach to the Ridevendor and give it a powerful offensive battle mode." Eiji really like that model idea as it would really come in handy. "Then I've also designed a Cobra Candroid which can spit pepper spray-like fluid at an opponent, allowing the user a chance to escape if need be." Now that one would really come in handy for some of the low powered members of the League. "If everything goes according to plan then they should be up and running within the next two to three weeks."
"They sound useful," Ankh said as he transformed back into his Greeed form and motioned Eiji to do the same. "Well, we need to get back to training so just do what you do best."
"Good luck, Gotou-san. But try not to push yourself too hard or you might hurt yourself," Eiji said before transforming back into his Greeed form as well. Gotou just nodded in reply and smiled before leaving the gym.
Strapping the belt around his waist, he inserted a Cell Medal and turned the knob with a call of "Henshin!" before stopping at the head bust statue, his body now clad in his Kamen Rider Birth armor. Opening the head and pressing the switch, a door opened to reveal the teleporter and he then proceeded to dial in the coordinates for the Watchtower. Stepping onto the teleporter, his body was covered in a column of light before he vanished, his body now being sent to the Watchtower. Man, did he have no idea of the type of day he was about to have.
OP Theme: Anything goes!
Chapter 13:
Frustration, Teamwork and the Date
Author: Toku Warrior
Inside the simulator on the Watchtower, Donna Troy, a.k.a. Wonder Girl, was having a bit of a tough time as she went about her day, doing nothing but training. Ever since her screw-up on the Greeed simulation, she swore to never use them as opponents again until she improved. So, for the time being she stuck with fighting the standard villains that the League fought on an everyday basis.
Long ago, Donna had grown up with the idea that the Amazons were the best and most disciplined warriors to ever exist. However, even her own Amazonian training hadn't prepared her for the Greeed. They were on an entirely different level and her pride had been hurt.
Her thoughts also went back to Gotou. When he first appeared to her it had been in his armor as Kamen Rider Birth. At first, he seemed like all the other men, someone who should have just bowed before her. But he then proved to her that he was much more than a normal man as he showed that he could be trusted. She had even begun to think of him as a possible brother in arms. And he was not someone to look down upon. He could definitely hold his own in a fight and that armor of his and the weapons he used certainly made him a dangerous person if he was ever crossed. But, to have him snap at her like he did the other day, all because she messed up and jumped in without thinking. It hurt her a bit.
Her pride was hurt for being outdone by a mere fake and these fakes were no where near as powerful as a real Greeed. Her pride was also hurt because she had been scolded by a man. She was an Amazon so why did his opinion matter so much? Sure, he created the fakes so that they could be used to train with but what made him so special?
With her mind so focused on her inner turmoil she never noticed the punch coming from a Simu-droid in the guise of Bizarro; the powerful hit slamming right into her face and sending her flying right into a brick wall. Taking advantage, Bizarro flew at Donna who just pushed herself out of the rubble and flew right back at him with a feral roar of her own.
"Raaaaaa!" Cocking her fist back, she bashed her fist against that of Bizarro's, the force of the connecting blows sending them flying away from one another.
Coming to a stop in mid-flight, Donna looked back at Bizarro and flew after him, none the wiser that she was being watched. As she got closer her body was suddenly pelted by a combination of green atomic energy and ice energy, courtesy of Atomic Skull and Killer Frost. Hitting the ground hard, she pushed herself up and glared at the two of them with anger.
'Why…,' she asked herself as she flew up and performed a snap kick to the side of Atomic Skull's head, knocking it clean off. 'Why does it hurt? What did I do wrong?' She was then sent flying back down to the ground as Bizarro flew up and slammed both of his fists down onto her in the form of a club, nearly knocking her out. Hitting the ground with a very loud thud, a crater forming under her body, she coughed up a small bit of blood before wiping a small bit of iron-tasting crimson residue from the side of her lip as she pushed herself up, her left arm holding her side as she began to favor her ribs a bit. 'I have trained for centuries for fights such as these so freaks like them should be no problem for me. So why is it that all I do is lose to these…these…fakes?-!'
She flew up and headbutted Killer Frost right in the chin before flipping over a backhand from Bizarro, grabbing him by the arm and pinning it behind his back. But Bizarro, as much of an idiot as he was, was no pushover which he proved as he flew backwards and slammed Donna's body right into the ground, creating another crater.
Having arrived on the Watchtower, Birth made his way down one of the corridors, passing other heroes along the way. Making his way to the science lab, he entered, only to notice that no one was around. 'Strange, where is everyone today?' he asked himself mentally as he left the lab. 'Oh well, maybe I'll just go and look over the Greeed and Yummy protocol data while I wait for someone to show up.'
Upon arriving at the simulator computer, he noticed that it was currently in use by someone inside. Stepping up to the monitor he noticed Wonder Girl having a very tough time against Bizarro and Killer Frost. Looking at the set level, he saw that the Simu-droid's levels were set to the maximum output, meaning that they were nearly a match for the real villains back on Earth. As he watched the fight continue, he saw Bizarro grab Donna by her hair and lift her up, his eyes glowing red as he prepared to roast her alive.
Holding up Donna by her hair, Bizarro's eyes glowed red as he punched her in the face again and again. He then stopped punching her and held her hand in both hands, crushing her skull slowly while Frost came up behind Donna and began to punch and kick her in the sides. Donna gripped Bizarro's hands with her own and began to pry them off of her head but the Simu-droid version of the messed up Superman clone powered up his heat vision to its maximum level.
'Why…why can't I defeat something as simple as a copy?' Donna thought until a familiar cry cut through the air, causing her to look at Bizarro in shock.
"Breast Cannon fire!" Birth shouted as he finished loading enough Cell Medals into his Birth Driver, filling the Breast Cannon with just enough power to destroy the Simu-droid Bizarro.
"CELL-BURST!" the Birth Driver shouted as the Breast Cannon fired an intense stream of crimson Cell Medal energy at Bizarro, destroying the Simu-droid body, leaving only the arms there which Donna tore off her head before looking at Birth with a bit of shock in her eyes.
"G-Gotou…what are you do—" she started until Birth cut her off.
"Oi, baka, watch your six! Strike out with a roundhouse and then use a sleeper hold to force your opponent to submit!" Birth instructed.
Donna, not really knowing what he meant by 'watch your six', quickly ducked under a forward roundhouse coming from Killer Frost before jumping up to perform a roundhouse kick of her own, her foot connecting with Frost's chin and knocking her backwards. Donna then flew behind Frost and wrapped her forearm around the villain's throat while using her other arm against the back of her head, her strength helping to take Frost down to the ground.
"Submit!" Donna ordered the droid but it wouldn't do so without a fight. "I said to SUBMIT!" she shouted in a much more authorative tone. After a few more seconds passed the Simu-Droid Killer Frost tapped its hand on the ground, giving in. "About time," Donna quipped as she shoved the droid away, its body covered in hard light as the form of Killer Frost faded away, leaving the now depowered droid lying there on the ground. Wiping a bit of sweat from her brow, Donna then looked over at Birth who banished the Breast Cannon back to its storage space with the Receptacle Orb on his chestplate. "Gotou…what are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be on the disabled list because of…?" Donna looked away a bit; remembering how it was her own blunder that caused him to get injured in the first place.
Birth just let out a sigh and walked over to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Donna looked up at him and Birth just patted her on the shoulder a bit, causing her to smile.
"Don't worry about me. I'm healing just fine and I should be mission ready in another day or two," Birth told her, causing her to let out a sigh of relief.
"That's good news. But why are you here? You're not scheduled to be here today." Birth began to walk back towards the door that led to the simulator's computer room, motioning Donna to follow him.
"I came here to show Batman my latest Candroid designs and to also look over the Greeed and Yummy Protocol Data some more." He then came to a stop next to a small fridge that held bottles of water, taking one out and giving it to her. "Here, you should rehydrate yourself. After a training session like that you must have tired yourself out a bit."
Donna took a sip of the water and then grabbed a towel off of a rack set next to the fridge, cleaning the sweat from her face. Gotou had to admit, with how she looked right now, she was definitely attractive. But it made him wonder why she never tried to talk with any of the other men that were apart of the League.
"Yeah, I am a bit tired. And a bit frustrated as well."
"Why are you frustrated?" Birth asked her as he leaned up against a console. Donna looked at him and then looked down at the floor.
"Well, after I got you hurt last time, I decided to train against these weaker villains that my sister fights, thinking that it'd be easy compared to the Greeed."
"And let me guess…not as easy as you thought, huh?" Donna nodded in reply, a downcasted look on her face. "Donna-chan, just because you were trained for centuries doesn't mean you can just walk up to an opponent and expect to walk out without a scratch. You need to learn to expect the unexpected and to never, ever, underestimate your opponent. Sometimes the weakest looking person can be the most deadly."
"But I don't see how that goes along with what—" she started before Birth placed his hand on her shoulder again, causing her to go quiet.
"Donna-chan, it means everything in battle." He let out a sigh and pulled up a few video files on the monitor. When he had come to their reality, he had come with a few battle files from his and Eiji's battles against the Greeed and the Yummies. "Here, see these fights from mine and OOO's past?" She nodded. "Do you see how OOO and I fought them?"
She continued to watch and saw that both Gotou and Eiji and even a battle where Date who wore the Birth Prototype all worked together in fighting their opponent. They fought as a group and prevailed much of the time.
"You used teamwork," she stated while watching the battles with a bit of awe in her eyes.
"Not just teamwork, we also had to constantly think on our feet." Donna turned to look at him. "This is what you lack for the moment. You rush in without thinking ahead and without a plan. Kinda like Supergirl if you think about it." Donna just shot him a glare. "That's why I want to teach you how to fight like I do. That is…if you can deal with learning how to fight from a man."
Donna just looked at him for a moment and then, after thinking about what he said, she began to laugh which Birth soon found himself joining in, laughing a bit as well. He then took a seat at the chair and brought up files and fighting patterns based on many of the villains that the Justice League had stored in its data files. Donna watched as he went over them, showing her how to properly fight them the next time. After a few minutes, Donna stretched her arms out as she cracked her back. Birth turned off the computer and got up before heading to the door.
"Well, it seems like Batman won't be here for the rest of the day so I might as well go home. Ja ne, Donna-chan," Birth said with a wave as he began to leave. Donna, not wanting to be left alone, quickly ran up to him and grabbed him by his arm, stopping him.
"Wait," she said with somewhat somber tone.
"Huh, what's wrong?"
"Well, I was wondering, since both of us have nothing else to do today, and seeing as I really don't know my way around Man's World just yet…I was thinking that maybe you could…accompany me for the day. You know, show me the sights and teach me about some of the stuff that Man's World has to offer." A small blush was on her face as she asked him that question.
Birth looked at her and thought about it. Was she asking him out on a date? Couldn't be. They had only known each other for no more than a month at best so there was no way for any kind of romantic feelings to develop so quickly between them. But she was right in the fact that she knew very little about Man's World. Of course, all things considered, so did he when it came to this world when compared to his old one.
Donna just stood there, awaiting his answer as patiently as she could. She didn't know why she was so flustered all of a sudden and she could hear her heart thundering inside her chest, her adrenaline rushing through her veins. She was really hoping that he would say yes.
After taking a moment to think on it, "Well…what the heck. Go get washed up and change into a normal pair of clothes and then we'll head out for a day on the town."
Donna beamed brightly at his response as she quickly ran off to the women's locker room to get a shower while Birth went back to the Observation Deck, waiting for her by the teleporter pad. After about thirty minutes, Donna had arrived at the teleporter dressed in a pair of denim blue jeans and white high heels while also wearing a white sleeveless shirt that held itself to her body by a set of straps that lay across her shoulders. The bottom end of the shirt had a frill with flower patterns woven in and she wore a blue jean jacket over her shirt and her purse over her shoulder. Birth just gaped at how beautiful she really looked when she dressed like a woman of the modern age.
Stepping onto the pad, they were both sent to Diana's apartment where Donna also lived for the time being. Once they arrived, Birth withdrew the Cell Medal from the Medal Slot, deactivating his transformation and returning to his human form.
"Well, where to first?" Gotou asked, causing Donna to take him by the arm and lead him out the door.
Donna and Diana were alike in a lot of ways, and not just by their appearance. Though, Donna resembled Diana if she were a teenager. Of course, considering how Amazons had been given immortal life and eternal youth once they abandoned Man's World on their island of Themyscira, Donna could be older than she looked.
She looked to be in her late teens, eighteen at least, but she was also a little innocent. She had lived a sheltered life on the island, knowing nothing except for the ways of the Amazon. Man's World was just strange for her and stranger still. She hadn't grown as accustomed to it as much as Diana.
Then again, Gotou was a stranger to this world too. He recalled his old life back in his old world before he met Eiji. How he was a cop, only to quit because he saw himself doing something more like saving the world. That was why he joined the Kougami Foundation. When he learned who OOO was it made him quite upset since he didn't think someone like Eiji deserved such power and that power was better off in his own hands. However, it was that arrogance that got in the way and Gotou was overlooked as the Birth Driver's user once it was completely developed.
He learned about how to be humble by working at Cous Coussier. He actually enjoyed working as the waiter and custodian. He didn't mind dressing up either. Then when Date came along, Gotou humbly asked to become his partner and while Date had been Kamen Rider Birth, Gotou was his partner, supporting him with the spare Birth Buster. Of course before he could even think of helping Date, Gotou had to train with the gun since the recoil always tossed him backwards until he got used to it. Then, when Date was 'dying' after 'betraying' them, Gotou officially became the second Kamen Rider Birth.
And Gotou couldn't help but see a bit of himself in Donna. The girl wanted to prove herself and be recognized as a full-fledged Amazon warrior like her big sister. From his time spent with Eiji, Gotou realized that anyone had potential for greatness but only if someone believed in them and that they believed in themselves as well.
"Hey, Gotou, can I ask you something?" asked Donna as they walked down the sidewalk towards a shopping outlet. It may have only been a month but she was slowly becoming more like a modern young woman every day. One of the many things that she found herself enjoying was going out shopping for new clothes every weekend.
"Sure, what is it?" replied Gotou as they came up to a row of department stores.
"Well, could you tell me why you became a hero? Why did you become a Kamen Rider? And even more so, what is a Kamen Rider anyway?" Gotou just shook his head. It was mostly about his personal past and, why he wouldn't reveal all of it right away, he could give her at least a few answers.
"First, you do realize that that's three questions, right?" Donna smiled while nodding her head, trying to act a bit cute. She had noticed Kara act the same way around OOO a couple of times before and it usually paid off when she was trying to get him to do something for her. "Well, I can't answer all of those questions as a couple of them are rather very personal issues with me…but I could give you a history lesson on Kamen Riders."
"That would be nice," she answered before she saw a very nice looking department store that seemed to have a lot of new clothes in. "But, first things first. It's time to shop."
Gotou just smiled a bit while a small sweat drop appeared next to his forehead. 'The girl is becoming more modernized by the day.' Following her into the store, he just walked alongside her, watching her as she would grab a different styled shirt or pair of pants here or there, pressing them against her body while looking in the mirror, seeing how they matched against her body. He saw the smile on her face and the look of life in her eyes; the young Amazon warrior seemingly having the time of her life. While going shopping with her big sister was fun and all, going out shopping with a friend was a whole lot better.
As Gotou looked over at the window, habitually keeping an eye out for trouble, he was soon startled by the sudden act of Donna placing a white fedora with a black band around its base on top of his head.
"Oi, Donna-chan, what's with the fedora?" Gotou asked as he took off the hat and looked at her.
"Oh come on, it looks good on you," she said playfully as she grabbed a black silk tie that seemed to accentuate the look of the fedora. "Here, see?" She took the fedora from him and placed it back on his head before placing the tie on his chest, sizing him up in the mirror. Gotou looked at himself and let out a small chuckle. Looking up at him with a confused look in her eyes, "What, I don't get it. What is so funny?"
"Oh, sorry, it's nothing really," he apologized. "It's just OOO and I know another Kamen Rider back in our original world that works as a detective when he's not fighting and he dresses in a very similar fashion."
Donna thought about his answer and then was about to put them back when Gotou took them from her. "Huh, didn't you say that this type of get-up is already worn by another Rider back on your world?"
"I did, but that is that world and this is this world. OOO and I are currently the only Riders here." Donna nodded as Gotou tucked the fedora and tie under his arm. "Besides, you picked it out for me so it would be rude if I turned down the suggestion from a friend."
Liking his answer, Donna went back to looking for more clothes and, after about another forty minutes had passed, they arrived at the checkout line. Each paying for their own purchases, Gotou and Donna then continued to walk around outside but they soon noticed that it was starting to get a bit more crowded. As they continued walking down the sidewalk, a man on a ladder who was painting a sign leaned over to paint a letter at the far end of the board when his ladder fell out from under him.
"Whoa!" the man shouted as he fell to the ground but soon noticed that someone had caught him at the last second. Looking up, he could see a beautiful young looking brunette setting him down gently. "Wow that was close." He looked up at his savior, "Thank you, young lady," the man said in a thankful tone before he started climbing back up the ladder.
"Think nothing of," Donna replied. "And try to be a bit more careful next time." The man nodded as she and Gotou continued on their way.
About twenty minutes later, as they crossed over the crosswalk, a car came racing down the street; the driver as drunk as one could be without passing out. The people in the crosswalk noticed the car coming straight at them, causing them all to run for the two sides of the street. As Donna and Gotou made it to the side of the street…
"My baby!" a woman shouted as her little girl was still in the road.
Acting quickly, Gotou ran and grabbed the girl, tumbling to the ground with her and over to the other side of the road as the car went racing by. Donna, acting just as quickly as Gotou, flew ahead of the car and came down on top of it, forcing it to stop within a few feet from hitting an old lady. As a few squad cars came by to arrest the drunk driver, Donna rejoined Gotou who was handing the little girl back over to her mother.
"Oh bless you, sir! Thank you for saving my little girl!" the woman thanked him in a near panic as she tried to calm down. Gotou just placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to help calm down as well.
"It's quite alright, ma'am. I was just glad that I was able to get to her in time." Gotou smiled at the grateful woman.
An hour later the pair stopped at a cafe for lunch where Gotou ordered a roast beef sandwich and tea while Donna ordered a steak-n-cheese sub with a soda on the side. As they waited for their order to come, Donna looked at Gotou and folded her hands under her chin, resting her elbows on the table.
"So, Gotou, do you think you can tell me about the Kamen Riders now?" He did promise her that he would.
"Sure, we seem to have some time before our lunch arrives," he replied as he pulled a laptop out of his backpack.
He had made sure to carry one with him before having gone to look for Eiji and Ankh back in their world and it held a lot of data on things that ranged from field tactics to the blueprints to the Birth Driver and Candroid schematics all the way up to stories and background history of the other Kamen Riders. It was one of the few things that Kougami had been able to acquire secretly after his computer experts hacked into one of the systems used by Foundation X.
Setting the laptop down on the table and turning it on, he motioned for Donna to move in a bit closer so that she could see. Moving her seat next to his, she looked on as he clicked on a folder that was titled 'Showa Era', displaying images of the many different Showa Era Riders dating all the way to the 1970's.
"Okay, back in 1971, a secret organization known simply as SHOCKER had begun their plans to take over the world. To do so, they kidnapped and brainwashed many innocent people and then turned them into their cyborg soldiers."
"What's a cyborg?" Donna asked in confusion. Gotou just chuckled a bit, seeing that Donna still had a bit to learn about their world.
"A cyborg is a person that has mechanical parts implanted either into their body, on their body or both," he explained which earned him a nod of understanding. "Anyway, SHOCKER kidnapped a young biochemist by the name of Takeshi Hongo and made him into one of their most powerful warriors. But, before the brainwashing sequence could be done, a SHOCKER scientists saved him and set him free. Thus, Takeshi decided to use his new cyborg body to fight SHOCKER and protect the innocent. He became the very first Kamen Rider. In terms of meaning, a Kamen Rider is a hero of Justice. Or, in my language, Seigi no Yuusha."
"That's pretty sad but also kind of like poetic justice at the same time," Donna responded as she took a sip of her soda. "Using the weapon of an enemy to smite them down has always been a well known offensive tactic during wars in ancient times so it's not that surprising to still see it used in the modern era."
"Agreed." Gotou then clicked on the next image. "Now, Hongo-san wasn't the only Rider that SHOCKER developed. They kidnapped another man to make into an anti-Rider that could fight Hongo on an even playing field. But he too was saved and joined Hongo in his battle against SHOCKER. At that moment, they became known as Kamen Rider's Ichigo and Nigo, the Double Riders and the first Kamen Riders in history."
"Now that is pretty cool," Donna admired as she looked at the photos.
Gotou went on to explain the other Showa Era Riders which included V3, Riderman, X, Amazon, Stronger, Sky Rider, Super-1, ZX, BLACK, BLACK RX and even the three Riders that were considered both Showa and Heisei Era Riders which were ZO, J and Shin. After viewing them, she noticed Gotou close the Showa folder and open up the Heisei folder.
"Now, it's time to explain the Heisei Era Riders."
"So, there's even more besides the Showa Era Riders?" Donna asked as Gotou started going through the images.
"Yes but not all of them share the same world as most of them have different stories. This was only learned later after one of the Heisei Riders found a way to create bridges that could connect those worlds, allowing the Riders from the other worlds to cross over and help their fellow Riders out if the need ever arose," Gotou explained as he opened up Kuuga's file. "The Heisei Riders first started to appear back in the year 2000 and the first Rider was Kuuga. He fought to protect the smiles on the faces of humanity."
"That's a strange reason to fight," said Donna as their food arrived.
"Well, every person has a different reason to fight," Gotou chided a bit as he took a bite from his sandwich. "After Kuuga there was Agito. It is said that their storied intertwined so their worlds were connected at one time but branched off as their stories grew apart. Alongside Agito, a few other Riders, which were dubbed secondary Riders, appeared. They were Gills, Another Agito, G3 who later became G3-X and then there was G4."
He then went on to explain Ryuki, Faiz, Blade, Hibiki, Kabuto, Den-O and Kiva. Of course, he also explained that not all Kamen Riders were good as some of them were also evil and killed innocent people. Donna furrowed her brow as he went over the evil Riders like Shadow Moon, Ryuga, Ouja, Nega Den-O and the first Dark Kiva.
"Hey, Gotou, you said a Rider in the Heisei period found a way to join the worlds together. Who was that?" Donna asked, causing Gotou to bring up images of Kamen Rider's Decade, DiEnd and Kivala.
"That would be Kamen Rider Decade. He appeared in 2009 and, unlike most Riders; he started his own SHOCKER group known as DAI-SHOCKER. Their main goal was to conquer the multiverse and rule all worlds. But some things happened that caused him to develop amnesia and he decided to fight alongside the good Riders, defending their worlds." He then showed her DiEnd and Kivala while continuing his talk about Decade. "He did regain his memories though but decided that fighting for justice was a much better path to live than one of destroying justice. He could also assume the forms of past Riders by using his Kamen Ride cards and he even met a few of them as well, gaining knowledge and experience as he journeyed throughout the multiverse. He now works as the man behind the scenes, keeping the worlds connected."
"That's nice. At least he changed his ways instead of being evil like Shadow Moon and the other Dark Riders."
Donna was enjoying her history lesson about the Kamen Riders and she started to feel like she was getting to know Gotou a bit more. She had also noticed that he was much calmer than he usually was and more talkative as he usually kept to himself. Maybe talking about something that interested him was a good way to get to know him after all.
"Yeah, and then, after Decade, there's Kamen Rider Double. Though, he's sometimes called Kamen Rider W as well due to the shape of his belt when it's activated. He's the two-in-one Kamen Rider in that his Rider form is used by both him and his partner, Raito 'Philip' Sonozaki, at the same time." Donna gave him a strange and confusing stare, "Yeah, I know, I'll explain that part to you later. But Double is the Rider that works as a detective and his world is connected with the world of the Showa Era Riders. In fact, all Riders that appeared with and after Double are all on the same world. Those Riders are Accel, his secondary Rider, and Skull, his predecessor and even the evil Rider, Eternal."
"And then after their group…who was next?" Donna asked.
"That would be OOO and I. Of course, I'm the second Kamen Rider Birth. The first was my friend and mentor, Date Akira-san. He's a doctor by trade and he later rejoined our group after going through a medical procedure to remove a bullet that was stuck in his skull. When he returned, he used the Prototype Birth Driver, becoming Kamen Rider Birth Prototype…or Proto Birth for short. And, during our little battle with Gara, the creator of the Core Medals, OOO also met the space themed Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Fourze."
Unfortunately, Gotou and the others had been swept into the Justice League's world so they never got the chance to get to know Fourze really well or the chance to meet his fellow Rider, Kamen Rider Meteor. As Gotou powered down the laptop and returned it to his backpack, he and Donna finished their lunch with Gotou paying for it all. After that, they got up and headed for the last destination for their day out.
(Insert Song: Anything Goes! Ballad)
As the sun was now slowly starting to set as it got late in the day, Donna and Gotou were walking through the park to see the street performers. Each of them was displaying different talents. There were guitarists playing songs, dancers displaying their dancing skills, and magicians who loved to wow and amaze their crowd. Walking by a lake where a pair of jugglers was performing for the crowd, Donna and Gotou watched on with amazement at what took place around them. They were paying so much to the events taking place that hey didn't see a pair of dogs come bounding by them, the leashes attached to their collars wrapping around Donna and Gotou's legs and quickly pulling the two of them close together in a startled surprise.
"Whoa! What the—," Gotou began until he felt the sensation of Donna being held up against him, her chest pressed against his. 'Oh boy, so not good right now!' he though as he looked down with an embarrassed look on his face. He soon noticed that she too wore an embarrassed look herself, the two of them both blushing.
"S-sorry…Gotou…hehehe…" Donna tried to apologize but she was just as at a loss for words as he was.
"Yeah…um…how are we…,"
"Oh man, I am so sorry about that!" a man apologized as he came up and undid the leashes from around their legs. The dogs, a pair of Rottweiler's, just sat there with their tongues out as they watched the scene. "I was watching a magic show over there when these two must have noticed a squirrel or something."
"It's quite alright," Gotou reassured him, glad that he and Donna were no longer bound together. He looked at Donna who just looked away with a hint of pink now painted on her cheeks. 'I guess it's not so bad.'
"Yeah," Donna added. "J-just…make sure to keep a better hold on your pets." Donna was completely embarrassed by the scene. Not only had she not noticed the dogs coming but she and Gotou had gotten bound together. Her heart pounded in her chest a bit as she thought of the closeness that they just shared. 'Oh man, what is going on with me?-!' she whined mentally. She was not used to such feelings. She would definitely need to talk with Diana when she got home.
"Yeah, sure thing. Again, sorry 'bout that!" the man called out as he took his dogs and led them away.
Gotou and Donna both let out sighs of relief and continued their walk through the park but now the both of them were quieter than before. Looking over at her, Gotou knew that he needed to clear the air. Preparing to strike up a new conversation, they both got the surprise of their lives when a man popped up in front of them.
"Excuse me sir," the man greeted. Holding up a camera on a tripod, "Would you like me to take a picture of you and your pretty girlfriend here by the lake shore? With the sun setting right behind it, it would make for a truly romantic picture." The man wiggled his eyebrows at the suggestion and both Donna and Gotou blushed madly at the insinuation that they were a couple. The man himself wore a long green trench coat and a pair of black and white pinstripe pants with a red bowtie around his neck with a white polkadot pattern on it. Atop his head was a big black top hat and he had a long hook nose and gleaming eyes.
"W-we are not a couple! We're just good friends!" Gotou exclaimed at the weirdly dressed man. The man wasn't buying it though.
"I beg to differ, sir. The aura that you two give off just screams 'perfect couple'!" He then proceeded to push them over to the lake shore, Donna putting up more of a fight but still finding it hard due to still struggling with the emotions coming up after being called Gotou's girlfriend. He was just a friend. Nothing more. "Ah, there we go," the photographer said as he stepped back and aimed the camera. Wanting to really set the mood, "Oh, come now, sir. Put your arm around her shoulders and hold her close."
"Like I said, we're not dating. We are just—" Donna nudged him in the ribs, getting his attention. "N-nani?"
"Just do it already." Gotou gave her a somewhat surprised and quizzical look. "Look, if we just play along and do this then maybe he'll leave us alone," she told him in a hushed whisper. Gotou, after thinking about it for a few seconds, nodded in agreement though he was still reluctant about the idea.
Looping his arm around Donna's shoulders, he pulled her in close; Donna moving in closer on her own as well. The two of them posed for the picture and smiled softly. They also wore a light blushes on their faces at being so embarrassed of their current predicament.
"Okay, on the count of three, say cheese," the man said as he held the switch in his hand, his thumb just above the button. "One…two…three…,"
"Cheese," Gotou and Donna said in unison, smiling for the picture as the man pressed the button.
Taking their picture, the man then went over to a small laptop after removing a USB from the camera, installing the USB into the laptop and bringing up the photo. He then went on to print out two pictures. As Gotou released Donna's shoulder, the two of them saw the man come back up to them.
"Here you go, these are on the house as you two seem to make the perfect couple," the man said as he handed them the pictures.
Taking them, Donna smiled at the image on the paper while Gotou scolded himself in the back of his mind. He knew damn well that neither Ankh nor Eiji would let him live this down. He was just glade that Date wasn't there as he would just make it much worse.
"Look, we've already said that we are not a…huh, where did he go?" Donna asked as she looked around. Gotou looked around as well but there was no sign of the man anywhere. Even his equipment was already gone. "Okay…that…was just plain freaky." Gotou nodded in agreement.
Looking over at Donna, he noticed that she was smiling as she looked at the picture again. He just smiled himself as he stuffed his picture into his bag, albeit a bit carefully as he did not want to ruin it. As they walked on, the man from before just watched them leave from behind a tree. Using his finger to lift up his hat a bit, 'Hmm…looks like things in this world are going to get interesting.' And then, without a hint of intention, the man vanished once more without a trace.
(End Song)
As they continued their walk, Donna looked over to a fountain in the center of the park and went to see the water flowing from what looked like a stone fish's mouth; the water streaming into the fountain in an ever continuous flow. Gotou just watched the sight of Donna enjoying herself and smiled. It was nice to see her having such a good time after having such a horrible week in the simulator room back at the Watchtower.
As Donna stood back up she looked to her right to see a bronze statue of a man in a toga looking towards her. "Hey, now that's what I call a realistic statue," Donna said as she walked up to the statue. "What do you think, Gotou?" Gotou just smiled as he knew what was about to happen. He might not be from this world but it was still very similar to his own.
"Yeah, it does seem real. Speaking of which, don't look behind you," Gotou told her.
Quirking an eyebrow at him, "Huh, what do you mean 'don't loo— HOLY HERA!" Donna jumped back about ten feet, completely startled as the bronze statue bent down and waved at her, scaring her to near death. "Th-th-th…THAT STATUE JUST MOVED!"
Gotou couldn't hold it in any longer as he fell to his knees while wrapping his arms around his sides, laughing as hard as he could. He just couldn't help it. He knew that the man was going to scare her but he just couldn't resist not saying anything. He wanted to see her reaction. At least she reacted the way he wanted her to instead of going on the attack. That would have gotten them in trouble.
"Stop laughing Gotou! It's not funny!" She then looked over at the 'living statue', "And how is it that you are a living statue?-!"
"Do…Donna-chan…hehehehheh….he's just a man that's dressed up as a statue. He's only a performer….HAHAHAHAHA!" Gotou was now on his butt, laughing so hard that his soar ribs started to hurt again. 'Damn, shouldn't have laughed so hard…but it was worth it.'
"He's right," the 'living statue' told her with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for scaring you so badly. I didn't mean for it to be so bad. Of course, many of us who dress up as statues usually get similar reactions from people who quickly learn that we're really people and not mere decorative works of art."
"It's…it's alright," Gotou said as he stood up, picking up his backpack. "At least she didn't hit you." The man nodded in agreement as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. 'If she did she probably would have knocked you into the next county.'
Donna, after taking a few seconds to calm down, just gave Gotou a glare before looking at the man, giving him an understanding smile. The people of Man's World had many ways to express their artistic side and it seemed standing around dressed like statues was one of them.
"It's okay, just…try to be more careful on who you accidentally scare."
"I will. Hey, ya know what, my friend over there on the other side of the fountain does caricatures for a living. Just tell him I sent you there as my way of apologizing and he'll do a drawing for you for free," the man offered.
Donna and Gotou nodded and waved goodbye as they thanked him. Donna then gave Gotou a glare while grabbing him by the hand and gripping it tightly, causing Gotou to wince a bit in pain.
"You listen to me, pal. If you ever let that happen again, I'll send you straight to Tartarus myself!" she warned him in a low threatening tone. Gotou just nodded. While the little prank had caused Donna to threaten him with his life, it was still worth it.
Taking the statue man up on his offer, Gotou and Donna then went and got a caricature done but, this time, Gotou made sure it wasn't a couple's portrait. After about thirty minutes, the man finished both of their drawings and gave them to them. Donna liked hers as it made her look like a cartoonish superhero while Gotou's made him look like a character right out of the Looney Toons.
Getting late into the evening, the two friends then left the park and headed down the street towards the apartment complex where Diana and Donna lived. As they made their way pass a few convenience stores, a door to one of them slammed open as a few people ran out while firing their guns back at the store, keeping the people inside from chasing them.
"Come on! Let's get outta here before the cops show up!" one man screamed as they made it to their car.
Watching from the other side of the street, Gotou and Donna looked at one another and nodded before heading to two separate alleys. Inside the first alley, Donna spun herself around like Diana would, changing from her civilian outfit to that of her Wonder Girl costume. In the second alley, Gotou fastened on the Birth Driver and slid in a Cell Medal before twisting the knob.
"Henshin!"
In a few seconds, his body was once again covered in the suit and armor of the Birth System. Exiting the alley as Kamen Rider Birth while leaving his purchased items from the day behind, he noticed Wonder Girl fly up and over to the crooks. Taking his Birth Buster and loading it up with Cell Medals, he too ran towards them while he had his backpack slung over his armored shoulder.
"Come on, we need to go, now!" the crook shouted again and turned around, only to get a flying drop kick right to the face, courtesy of Wonder Girl.
"Shit, it's the Justice League!" one crook shouted.
"Who cares?-! Just shoot the bitch!" another shouted, causing them all to open fire. Donna used her enchanted bracelets to deflect the bullets as Birth moved to her side, taking aim and firing off a round of Cell Medal bullets at the crooks, shooting the guns right out of their hands. "Damn it; forget the loot, just run!"
"I don't think so!" Wonder Girl shouted as she took her lasso and twirled it around before letting it fly; the lasso ensnaring three of the five crooks. With a hard tug, she brought them down to the ground with a thud. Looking over to the two fleeing crooks that she had missed, "Uh-oh, Birth, they're getting away!"
"Oh no they're not!" he proclaimed as he slid a Cell Medal into his belt, activating the Receptacle Orb on his right shoulder pad.
"CRANE-ARM!" the belt sounded out as the pieces for the Crane Arm formed around Birth's right.
Then, with a swing of his arm, Birth launched the hook appendage of the Crane Arm, capturing the two remaining crooks and dragging them back over towards himself and Wonder Girl. Once they were close enough, Birth lifted them up and looked at the crook on the left right in the eyes.
"I don't think I heard you clearly the first time," Birth began in an angered tone. "But I could have sworn you called my friend here a bitch." Birth's singular curved eye lens began to glow as the two inner lenses within it flashed a red-orange color. This scared the man into pissing his pants on the spot as he began to cower before the angered Kamen Rider. "Just so you know, you should be grateful that I caught you instead of her," he said as he nudged his head in the direction of Wonder Girl. "If she had caught you…well, I don't want to think of what she'd do to you."
The man let out a scream of terror as the local police showed up to take them away. Handing the crooks over so that they could be handcuffed, Birth and Wonder Girl looked at one another and smiled, with Birth's smile not being able to be seen though due to his helmet. Returning to the alley's to reclaim their belongings, Birth and Wonder Girl went to the other side of the buildings, taking to the back streets; returning to their civilian forms along the way.
Arriving at the door to Donna and Diana's apartment, Donna opened the door and went inside, followed by Gotou who closed the door. As Donna put her stuff away in her room, Gotou set his stuff next to the couch. He would only be there for a few minutes before he had the Watchtower send him home via teleportation. Stretching his arms out while cracking his back, he was soon taken by surprise when he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder.
"Wha! D-Diana-san?-!" Gotou shouted in surprise, never expecting Diana to be home. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry about that, Gotou," Diana apologized while stifling a small laugh. "So, what are doing here?"
"Oh, I just walked Donna-chan home. She asked me to spend the day with her today." Diana smiled a lightly sinister smile, knowing that she could now tease Donna once Gotou left.
"Oh really? What did you both do today?"
Before Gotou could reply, Donna came back out of her room while stretching her arms out. "Mnnnn….ah, now that was a nice day out on the tow…Big Sister?-! When did you get home?"
"Oh I've been home for a few hours now," Diana replied. "I was worried about you since I couldn't find you either here or back at the Watchtower. But I am relieved that you were out with Gotou." She then looked at the two of them, "So, tell me…how was your…date?"
Donna's face turned beet red as did Gotou's and, acting quickly, Gotou grabbed his things before placing his finger to his ear-bud com-link. "It wasn't a date!" he shouted before activating the com-link. "Watchtower, one for transport!"
In a column of light, Gotou was transported back to the Watchtower, leaving Donna to face Diana, alone. Looking back at her big sister, Donna laughed a bit out of fear as she knew that Diana was not going to let her day with Gotou go without telling her how it went. But, for just a moment, her heart stopped as she recalled the word her sister had used. Date…was their day out with one another really…a date? Her heart then began to slowly pound harder in her chest as she recalled her time with Gotou. She had enjoyed every minute of it. And she wanted to experience those feelings even more now. Out of all the people she came to know in Man's World, he was the only one to make her feel so…excited.
"So…," Donna looked over at Diana who had her hands on her hips, "…tell me about your date with Gotou. And don't leave out any details." Donna just gulped. Well, she knew it wouldn't be so bad. She enjoyed the time she spent with him. But she knew that if Gotou's friends found out that he would probably get grilled about even worse that what Diana was doing now. She just hoped that her mother never found out.
Next time on Justice League: OOO Unlimited:
After being told that he should find ways of controlling his temper, Ankh is asked to back up Diana on a mission with Hawk and Dove. During the battle, he'll be forced to go up against the soulless battle armor that doesn't seem to know when to stay down. Can Ankh and the rest of the League members on the mission stop both the unstoppable armor and the war between two different nations? To do so, Ankh will have to do the one thing he has never been able to do…what that is he must discover on his.
Chapter 14:
Angered Greeed, Soulless Armor and Inner Peace
Toku Warrior: Hey everyone, it's been a little while since I released an OOO chapter. Still going over some of the arc plans but season 1 has been primarily mapped out. I want to thank both King of 2211 and Archangel Igneel for their help in the early planning stages of the story. I would also like to thank Kamen Rider Chrome for his help in editing this chapter and helping to expand on the growing relationship between Donna and Gotou. You three rock and have been very helpful in plotting out this story. Thanks.
Well, as you can tell from the preview, next chapter is all about Ankh. After that I will be making a 3-part special for Eiji. Why a 3-part special? Well, let's just say that it will have a few revelations revealed and will also bring in about a couple things as well. Until next time, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please be honest with your reviews.