Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 13
OP Song:
仮面ライダーBLACK RX (RIDER CHIPS Ver.) · RIDER CHIPS
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バトルoh! RX · Takayuki Miyauchi
PART 1
"Heeh, now this is rather amusing..."
Somewhere on the edge of a multi-story building, someone had been using this position to ascertain for herself the kind of presence she had been detecting for quite some time. She can feel the familiar one-of-a-kind unique energy—reiryoku—one that she had been well acquainted with only with two particular Kamen Riders of this remade world, Shidou Itsuka—Kamen Rider Black RX and Shinichiro Takamiya—Kamen Rider Shadow Moon, two enemies of the Blue Ribbon Empire.
...Yes, she was a member of that empire. A craft master sorceress with the capacity to manipulate various forms of magic. A beautiful woman that looked like she was in her twenties, appearing rather ageless, with soft black hair that reaches down to her back and her eyes can appear to change color depending upon her current mood, and right now, it was hued with golden ocean blue. Her outfit was like a priestess attire from a fantasy RPG, one that had white robes over dark blue garbs, both laced with golden outlines and wielding a golden-colored staff decorated with blue jewels and white dove wings. Unseen, she also wears protective chainmail under her garb.
People tend to call her The Summoner Witch of the Deep Night.
In her one-woman mission of playing the scout against the Kamen Riders, she just happens to stumble upon this recent incident that would pique her interest, starting from this very morning, when the non-interfering Anawim were now making their official appearance in years. It appeared that they had now been provoked in light of the perceived anomalies that are now being confirmed one by one before her very eyes.
"Someone has definitely been a naughty boy since even I can tell that there is something very wrong with the world right now...no, more like worlds are being affected, the reiryoku fluctuations feel...like an ocean tide that would subside every few hours...and it rises at seemingly precise moments in the future...How odd...But what or who is doing this? The kind of power to conjure up the Lost Souls of the Neverwhere would be quite a terrifying feat for someone to belong too, even with this amount of reiryoku running around...The resurrection of these lost souls, these Spirits as RX would probably call them...are quite unnatural and disturbing the normal flow of reality...May as well keep a close watch for now and see what happens without raising a little suspicion..."
And just as quickly, she vanished with a smile on her face, leaving behind nothing as the wind blew ominously. And the silent declaration:
The Blue Ribbon Empire will be watching from now on, Kamen Rider Black RX.
"Why exactly did you call us both here, Azazel-sensei, Natsuki-chan? OW!"
"Don't call me chan, Sekiryuutei!"
The one who had been hit with a fan and is currently being corrected by Natsuki was Issei Hyoudou, a second-year student of Kuoh Academy, wearing casual clothing. Accompanied alongside him was Vali Lucifer, wearing casual clothing, another second-year student of Kuoh Academy, and practically one of the most popular boys in the school, even ranking in the first spot due to his cool and mature personality. The same may not be said for Issei Hyoudou who is known as the three among the Perverted Trio...well, at least Issei himself is more discreet about it, at least in his opinion.
Both of them were sitting in the chairs of a classroom that was in Azazel's laboratory. Many thoughts were occupying their minds, the common point of why had they both been summoned here on short notice.
"...Well, fellas, we both have a very complicated situation on our hands, and I say this because well..." Azazel, looking a bit tired as he pinched his eyes. "There's a problem that is connected with Shidou."
"Eh? Itsuka-senpai? What's the problem then?"
Issei Hyoudou is in fact one of the few specific persons in the New World who knew that Shidou Itsuka had married Rias Gremory's best friend, Sona Sitri, last year ago, having been present in the secret wedding, still recalling the tuxedo that he wore. Despite the fact that he calls his senpai his greatest rival because much to his annoyance and shouts curses to the high heavens beyond, Shidou Itsuka is very popular with the ladies. Like...really, really popular. Especially as Kamen Rider Black, and eventually, as Kamen Rider Black RX, having accumulated, in his personal opinion, a very strong powerhouse of a harem with multiple connections that to his chagrin rejected in favor of choosing just one girl to settle down with, well, Issei was essentially quite happy for him and wished him the best.
But why call him senpai when Shidou is a first-year high school student? Well, Issei knew that he was a lot older than him so he felt that it was appropriate to give respect where it is due, plus he respects Shidou a lot, even if half the time he doesn't like to admit it.
And now, Azazel was now informing him and Vali, who paid attention nearly instantly, have a problem and it was related to Shidou Itsuka, which would make the both of them grimace inwardly because whenever a problem arises and Shidou's involve, it would be a lot bigger of an issue. Not all of the time of course, but still...
"...(Sigh), well, time to start with a complicated problem involving Shidou-kun's first wife and their daughter coming back from the grave," Azazel said.
And so, Issei and Vali were being given the speed about the problem that is now probably a major concern for everyone in the New World and other universes. The Spirits, one by one, are somehow being brought back into reality. But...unfortunately, as much as this can only be considered a good thing, this also brings a lot of problems...such as the recent one where three enemies of the Kamen Riders from three A.R. Worlds: the Worms, the Mirror Monsters, and the Inves were causing trouble and had been brought to this world somehow because of the residue of reiryoku.
"...I see," Vali narrowed his eyes, with arms crossed. "So basically, depending on the Spirit that would show up, there may be problems that would draw the attention of a couple of unmentionables."
"And I fear that they may already have," Azazel sighed as he leaned on the table in the front. "Shidou had just gotten his family back, boys, but that doesn't mean things are just as peachy, because now he has to deal with two wives living under the same roof as him, potentially very dangerous women with sensitive hearts towards one boy who we can only hope doesn't have their Spirit powers with them unless we want the entirety of Japan to get sunk into the ocean, interdimensional breaches which cause things like the Worms, the Mirror Monsters, and the Inves to appear, and plenty of other problems."
"...Although," Issei looked rather worried. "I can only imagine how awkward it is now for Itsuka-senpai right now...Like, if I didn't know any better, his situation feels oddly like a living soap opera."
"The main point being that we should be ready for anything that could or what would happen," Vali explained.
"Yes, and it's why I called for the both of you to show up here so that you both could at least be aware of the general situation," Azazel grimly stated.
"Then can I tell Buchou and the others then, sensei?" Issei asked.
"You may actually, and the same goes with Vali and his Team, and of course, Issei, tell Rias to tell both Sairaorg and Seekvaira as well," Azazel nodded. "Better for them to get ready as well considering that we may possibly find ourselves in a rough storm in the next few days."
There was a young woman of eighteen years of age who would look up into the sky with a concerned expression. She had pale skin and crimson narrowing eyes, along with long white hair being blown by the wind, wearing a collared, purple long-sleeved shirt, a long white skirt, and purple boots.
And she is one of the few that is now noticing the strange effects of reiryoku that was acting up throughout Tenguu City.
"...(Sigh), seriously, Shidou-kun, just what on earth did you get yourself involved in this time?" She said with both arms pressed to her waist, showing concerned eyebrows in slight annoyance that someone that she knew was for a very long time.
On this night, Illyasviel von Einzbern uttered with a sigh of worry for her dear kouhai.
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Dies irae - Animation OST: Amantes amantes
PART 2
Rio Sonogami had been doing a bit of exploring throughout her papa's new home. It was quite larger on the inside than it is outside, which made her think that maybe someone would get a little lost if one did not know where to go. How do her papa and his new family not get lost around here? Between the various guest rooms, the entertainment room, the garage, and plenty of others, this felt more like a building, and there was even an elevator that she passed by once or twice. Where it leads, she doesn't know.
"...?!"
Right now, as she looks around the large room to the right of the hallway, the same hallway that she saw had a picture of her papa, her okaa-san, and a boy named Millicas Gremory, she sees another picture that was nearby, and the more she got close, she spotted something interesting...what appeared to be a very large picture showcasing the familiar New Generation Kamen Riders, all of whom she had met back in Azazel's Laboratory, all of whom were very nice people in her opinion.
Actually, Rio was very glad that her papa was not fighting alone...that she was glad that there were fellow warriors, brothers-in-arms, or perhaps something more...more like a family when she notices this large picture showcasing them, with her papa somewhere in the center. They were all genuinely smiling in the photo. It...It really relieved her. And then, she would notice Shinichiro gently putting his right hand on her hair, smiling.
"How's the tour so far, Rio-chan?" Shinichiro asked.
"Umm, it's the best, Shinichiro-ojisan," Rio smiled cheerfully like a little sun. "I've seen a lot of rooms and all of them are great so far."
"Hmm. I noticed that you've been staring into this picture for a while aside from the other picture with your papa, your okaa-san, and Millicas," Shinichiro muttered softly.
"Umm, I'm just..." Rio's smile would turn a bit sad as she looked at her papa in the picture. "...I'm just glad...that papa isn't alone. He has okaa-san, he has other friends and family, and he has you, Shinichiro-ojisan."
Shinichiro would turn silent and sad, lowering his face. "("...Oh, if only you knew about one particular thing, Rio...although I cannot really bring myself to tell you that yet right now...at least, not without Shidou doing the explanation...")"
Of course, he was talking about the time when he had been awakened from his coma by the Gorgom High Priests and effectively became the enemy of this child's papa, his best friend, and his brother, not by his very own choice since he was not in control of his actions. It was like an entirely different personality had replaced him and had taken over his entire body in order to finally enact the long-awaited battle for the chosen successor. Between the Black Sun and the Shadow Moon. In the end, Shidou had managed to save him...
"...We're...We're family...Shinichiro...I can't...I can't lose you...I can't lose another one of my family...not here..."
Shinichiro would hear an echo of the past, when Shidou as Kamen Rider Black would try to talk to him even in his brainwashed state. He can definitely feel the tears beneath the mask, the painful suffering that his brother had to undergo, and the horrible tragedy that no one should ever have been subjected to.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Hmm?" Both Shinichiro and Rio would notice a beeping sound and out came Sona's voice through the use of a particular intercom function that had been installed in this house.
"Everyone, dinner is ready, head to the dining room so that we can all eat."
"I did not expect the house to have an intercom terminal," Rinne muttered in amazement while looking at Sona who was casually pressing a button on the silver panel.
"Well, it's more convenient in this case seeing as how large this house admittedly is," Sona smiled a bit, turning around. "Well then, we'll just have to sit and wait for the others to arrive."
Right now, both wives were simply waiting on their chairs as everything that was to be eaten was now set on the table. Rinne in the meantime was thinking about what to do with Shidou. After being told about this one incident where Shidou brutally punched a serial killer to death and being told of a hidden darkness that lay within the man she loved hurt her more than it would any other.
In all these years, she'd never imagined Shidou to be more than capable of killing in that fashion. Granted, said person that died in his hand was a serial killer and from what Sona told her, she would not blame Shidou for reacting the way that he did. But she could not help but heed the warning that Sona had given her.
"Mama, okaa-san, we're here!"
Rinne and Sona would both see Rio and Shinichiro heading toward them.
"Ah, Rio-chan, how is your exploration of the house so far?" Rinne smiled in a maternal matter as she places a hand to her daughter's hair while the latter was touching her legs.
"It's rather big, mama, bigger than the house we are familiar with. Oh, and I managed to spot papa and okaa-san along with a boy with red hair in a picture frame just now," Rio said.
"Oh, that," Sona would smile a bit fondly of that picture, with Rinne paying close attention. "That was actually one of the times when I and Shidou were taking care of my best friend and fellow Devil's nephew, the one that Rio was talking about as the boy with red hair, Millicas Gremory, son of Sirzechs Lucifer who is the ultimate authority of the Underworld. Millicas was saved by Shidou as Kamen Rider Black, preventing the restarting of the Great War between the Three Factions and earning the title: The Savoir of Three Worlds. Since then, Lord Sirzechs and his wife, Lady Grayfia, would often leave their son to Shidou, deeming him much safer with him around. They do spend a lot of time together, and I'd eventually get dragged in on the fun. Whenever we three decided to go out together, we sometimes get mistaken for a young family before we eventually had to clarify these things."
Sona showed a sad smile as she would look at Rinne. "Aside from me, Millicas had also played a great part in gradually healing Shidou's pain. He admired Shidou, to the point where he wanted to be just like him when he grew up, and at some point, he knew of his secret, and my husband doesn't just blurt out his secrets to just anyone. You know what he said to him?"
Both Rinne and Rio were listening with interest while Shinichiro smiled a bit.
"He said: Don't be like me, Millicas, don't ever try to be like me. Be yourself, that's the best thing that you can do. Everything, all of it, starts here," Sona pointed to her heart. "It may be a cliché at this point, but it is no less true that without the heart, everything just withers away."
There were darker moments in Shidou's life, but there were also lighter moments. These would ultimately relieve Rinne due to how heavy of pain her heart was now feeling. She felt that she should have been there for Shidou, to be the comforting pillow that would allow him to rest as much as he earned. But that was not so. Other people took that duty up, and that would be Sona and Millacus and Shinichiro and others.
Yes, one of the major reasons why Rinne can trust Sona is because of how very genuine her love was for Shidou. She can already quite tell that Sona was not lying about the fact that, yes, she did indeed marry Shidou (if in secret) and yes, she was there for him in moments where Rinne should have been there. She should have been there, Rinne thought to herself as her heart was trying to steady itself.
She breathes in and out, mentally preparing herself as she waits for Shidou, with Rio now sitting on Rinne's lap. She can see Shinichiro take a seat as well in order to wait for Shidou.
And then, a few minutes later, Shidou would arrive from the corner of her eye, looking a bit exasperated and sighing. Shidou would notice all of the food that was prepared on the table, and found it rather interesting to eat.
"Well, this is rather a big surprise..." Shidou muttered softly with a smile, walking towards the center of the table and taking his seat. "You and Rinne made these, Sona?"
"Yes, it was quite a bit of fun actually as we we're just getting very well acquainted with each other," Sona smiled a bit.
"Yes, well acquainted," Rinne, with a sad smile, touched his left hand that was resting on the table much to his surprise.
"Well, I suppose we should definitely start eating," Shidou would smile a bit before joining both hands together and so would the others, and say. "Itadakimasu." before eating. The rest of the dinner table was mostly quiet, with the only things being brought up being Shidou's and Shinichiro's daily adventures, either as themselves (so things relating to Raizen or other topics) or as Kamen Riders. Sona provided a few of her own points of view in order to contribute to the discussion, and Rinne continued to know more about the man she loved, and the man she knew had changed drastically.
He is Shidou Itsuka, the same man that she knew and loved more than anything and would do anything for his happiness with no strings attached, and yet, there is something different within him now that made her extremely concerned due to the hidden suffering that she still needs to figure out for herself, and also, anxiety now fills her because unlike before, it is Shidou Itsuka that would fight on the front lines, and yes, he fought, and there were shades even in battles.
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ENDER LILIES | Mili - Harmonious (Extended, Slowed, Reverb) + Rain ambient
Now...it was raining softly outside as seen from the windows, with grey clouds covering the night sky, and a little rumbling thunder being heard from outside. About 24:00 hours had now struck the clock.
Before that, it had been generally agreed that Shinichiro Takamiya would be keeping the lookout for anything suspicious and would mostly be spending around the first floor. Sona said that she would need to do a few things in the office room (also known as one's personal study room) on the second floor in relation to her college studies. Shidou smiled a bit because even after all of these four and a half years, his wife was still a hard worker, and one of the benefits of being a Devil, especially one of her class, is that she would need to worry about fatigue as much as anyone else. Ridoron and Acrobatter, along with Road Sector, were now automatically staying in the garage so that they don't need to get wet. Shidou once had a call coming from both of his parents who told him that they may not be able to make it back because of work. Then another call came and it was Kotori who said that she could not, unfortunately, go home due to the circumstances surrounding the city at the moment.
He was rather concerned that there were sightings of three main enemies of the Kamen Riders, but of course, he felt relief when three of his friends, fellow Kamen Riders, had taken good care of them. It was a very good thing that there were fellow heroes keeping an eye on things while he was currently spending time with his long lost family.
And now...
"..."
Shidou Itsuka is currently resting in the master bedroom and a large bed that could fit two or three people. He was on the left side facing the window nearby and of course...
"Hmm..."
Yes, he was currently resting beside his daughter and his wife in that order. They had a little talk before this.
"Ne, papa, can you tell me a story?" Rio asked with a cute smile, with both hands grabbing the fabric of his white-black shirt.
"Actually, the same can be said of me too," Rinne asked also while holding Rio from the back, laying down.
"...Well, what story would you both like to hear?" Shidou asked.
"Anything that comes to your mind, Shidou, anything," Rinne smiled a bit, and thought right now that this was yet another perfect opportunity for her to learn more about her husband's new life.
And so, Shidou told them the story of yet another adventure about a year ago that he had in this world when as Kamen Rider Black RX, he had gone up against the descendant of Cao Cao from the Three Kingdoms era and the leader of the Khaos Brigade's Hero Faction. Shidou was in Kyoto at the time when he was also having a class field trip with a lot of his classmates (and of course, it was also at the exact same time when Issei Hyoudou and the rest of the students of Kuoh Academy were also having a field trip and other schools such as IS Academy (the school where his fellow Kamen Rider, Ichika Orimura, goes too) and Saikai Academy (the school where Natsuki Minamiya was teaching) were also there in that same field trip), having been informed by a close ally, Agent John Bishop, that the covert intelligence of Ratatoskr believed that the Khaos Brigade's Hero Faction had plans for the kidnapping of Kyoto's Youkai Leader, Yasaka, with the intention of opening the Dragon Gate to summon the Great Red. He was also informed that the underground organization, Phantom Task, would be predicted to strike as well in the same location of Kyoto, with entirely different motives. That's...not even listing all of them, it's like an "all side events happening at once" type of event.
He thought at the time about how his work is really cutting out for him now because at least a couple of separate and entirely unrelated incidents would be predicted to happen.
Just to get things even more convoluted, by the mid-point, the Blue Ribbon Empire decided to join in on the chaos, showing up out of the blue with large gunships and tanks, along with thousands of troops all heavily armed to the teeth, and pretty much did not hesitate to open fire on literally everybody that was involved, with Shidou being one of the main targets due to being a Kamen Rider and essentially one of the more pressing enemies to take down permanently. The Blue Ribbon Empire, instead of wanting to capture Yasaka, would want her to be eliminated. The trying-to-kill-two-birds-with-one-stone tactic was in effect. Only in this case, it was several birds about to be picked on by a fully powered minigun.
Needless to say, by the end of it, everyone banded together as the side problems got dealt with to varying degrees and would send the Blue Ribbon Empire packing, gaining the deepest gratitude from Yasaka herself and the rest of the Youkai.
And this was still yet another day in the office for someone like Shidou Itsuka.
By the time he finished, Rio was soundly sleeping while Rinne gave him an empathetic smile.
"...That must have been quite an adventure, Shidou," She would say.
"...That's really understating it," Shidou sighed a bit heavily with eyes closed, reacting like an old, worn-out father who had accomplished a 48-hour working period with no resting at all.
"...Well, here's a little reward from me," Rinne would softly bring her lips to Shidou's and made contact. A sweet kind of kiss after a hard day's work.
Now comes the present time a few hours later. This scene felt...so painfully familiar. He would recognize this anywhere. From Eden. Yes, the place that he had rejected long ago. It was almost the same familiar position, and Rio sleeping soundly like an angel. Rinne...was also asleep, embracing her daughter just as Shidou remembered and was even showing that brightly dimmed smile. Shidou and his wife along with a fidgeting daughter in the middle. It was so painfully familiar that his heart couldn't bear the thought of this ever ending. Last time...
...Last time he was in this similar position, it had been the beginning of the end for him and for his family, an ominous foreshadowing. And that made Shidou troubled more than anything as his heart felt like stopping. He couldn't sleep...He just couldn't sleep...not knowing what could or would happen to his daughter...or to Rinne...He had felt a kind of happiness that was so very fleeting, so very long ago. This feels exactly like that time. And that's what made him so very afraid.
You expect him to just close his eyes and rest? What happens when, the next day, they would suddenly be gone...
NO! He screamed in defiance. He had his eyes closed when Rio was still awake slightly, but they were opened when he could verify that it was safe to open his eyes and that Rio is fast asleep. How does one expect him to simply take a rest and close his eyes?
He needed to get up from this bed so that he could not fall asleep so suddenly for he does not trust himself to be able to not sleep and enjoy the comfort. There was a white chair nearby which was located northeast that has his white jacket placed on the back. He would only need to make use of it. And so, as careful as he could, he would slowly make his way out of the bed and slowly stood, keeping his tiptoes lowered so that none would need to hear it. He stands and slowly walks towards the chair and eventually sits on it, only content with looking at his wife and daughter sleeping soundly.
...And then, he waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.
An hour passes by and the two women embrace each other and their heartbeats truly synchronized like mother and daughter. A clear-cut image that would make Shidou almost want to cry due to a mixture of emotions that were present...because his family has now come back.
But would this actually last this time, a whispering thought would slowly creep into his head.
How would he know? That was a fear that still resides within him. It was why he cannot sleep, not now, in fear of his wife and daughter suddenly disappearing without him noticing, and worst, his memory of them would fade for some reason. It had always been the constant with them whenever they would reunite. Would it be any different this time?
...And then, he notices something. The door from the right was slowly opening. He turns around to find Sona slowly opening the door, careful not to wake up the two sleeping occupants. With a hand gesture and with a serious, undecipherable expression, she quietly called Shidou as if needing him for something. Shidou didn't know why, but nevertheless, after taking one lasting, hard look at Rinne and Rio, with his heart still aching. He would nevertheless walk slowly towards Sona in order to find out what was wrong. He would exit the door and into the hallway, with Sona closing the door.
...But all of a sudden.
"Hmph!"
He felt a sweet kiss that managed to blow him away, making his mind turn blank. A passionate one that shared and conveyed feelings of worry and concern. And the instinct to embrace Sona was stronger as his blood felt like rising, with Sona placing both of her arms towards Shidou while Shidou puts his hands around Sona's waist, as their tongues would twist for good measure as Shidou's back would felt the solid wall that was in the hallway. Eventually subsiding, they let go as their breath was felt before their faces.
Before Shidou could question what had just happened, Sona would speak. "Just to let you know, in consideration of your horrible track record of trying to sleep, after our amicable conversation, Rinne is personally asking me to keep an eye on you for the rest of the night while she handles Rio..."
She did? Shidou thought to himself in concern.
"...And of course, keeping an eye on you also entails our little practice sessions," Sona gently touches Shidou's face with her left hand, caressing his cheek. "...Just to blow your worries off and convert them into much-needed steam."
And not a moment too soon, Sona would kiss Shidou again, leaving yet another deeper mark as their nerves were sparked. And it seems as if the worries would fade away, replacing it with something more soothing.
"So how was it, Shinichiro?"
Kotori Itsuka's tired and concerned voice was heard from Shinichiro's silver phone that was placed near Shinichiro's ear. Currently, Shinichiro was sitting on the sofa in the living room and was simply killing time by reading a book about motorcycle parts.
"You mean the part about Rinne-san and Sona-san meeting face-to-face? I was wondering why you didn't ask that the first time," Shinichiro sadly smiled.
"That's because they were there, you idiot. I don't want the situation to get any more awkward than it has to," Kotori explained.
"Relax, Kotori-chan, they didn't have a cat fight in case you're wondering. I mean, they're all getting along perfectly well just fine. Just by looking at Rinne-san and Sona-san, they became fast friends, and Rio seems to be more accepting of Sona as her new mother, so I think there would be no further problems," Shinichiro explained.
"...(Sigh). Well, that's honestly a relief. Onii-chan doesn't need more problems considering the dire situation we both have gotten our hands-on," Kotori said.
"Oh yeah, speaking of, what are Tendou, Urashima-san, and Morisato-san up to right now?" Shinichiro asked.
"Still taking part in the patrols even when it's raining, but well, you know how Kamen Riders are more than prepared for the rain, and you should know too since you and onii-chan and those three were sometimes hanging around the Amazon Rainforest with Yamamoto-sensei in another universe," Kotori said.
"Well, some of us had a harder time than others," Shinichiro smiled a bit, recalling one time when the Kamen Riders were trying to swing the vines of the tree in a Tarzan-like fashion, some of them crash into a tree branch.
"...You know," Kotori sounded unsure. "Since it's likely possible at this point that all of the Spirits that onii-chan knew would return, just how bad do you think it would go when they find out when he's married to Sona-oneechan?"
"...Well, I'm not entirely sure really either," Shinichiro also had the same concerns, sighing heavily as he pinches his eyes. "But...come what may, the only thing that we and by extension, everyone we know in Tenguu City can do is to support Shidou in any way we can. We all owe him this much. The world owes him this much," Shinichiro said.
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[Engsub/Vietsub] Gekkou 月光 (Moonlight) - Assassination Classroom OST
PART 3
In the long harrowing void...
—Mio Takamiya...
When a moment came—the forces of the void and void collided against each other. She could feel her body began melting into the world. A strange feeling wrapped around her. There was no pain. Nor fear. It just felt as if her consciousness was gradually sipping away. The last and most powerful Angel collided with the Demon King that possessed equivalent power. The users definitely would not be safe. But she did not regret it. If she did not activate Ain at that time, Shidou and the Spirits around him that were swept into Westcott's uncontrollable power would surely die.
No—on the contrary, it would be no surprise if an explosion larger than the Eurasian catastrophe struck upon the world. When she thought about it, she unexpectedly smiled at her motives. To feed her own desires, she sacrificed the girls, sacrificed the world, but did not expect to be waiting for her last moments for such a reason.
However, she could not bear it. She had to witness Shinji's death. Let it not be twice in the form of Shidou—her son—dying before her very eyes. Moreover, the words they exchanged while in Ain Soph. The words he spoke came back to her mind. Pondering it over, it's been a long time since she last felt this feeling. 30 years ago, it was the same thought process felt when standing in front of Shinji Takamiya's corpse. But it was a bit different. At that time, there was only despair in her heart. But right now, Shidou was still alive. There was still something that could be done. But what needed to be done?
At that moment, while looking at Shidou's back, the memories from that moment spread through her mind. The memories of the future shared through the pathway by Shidou flashed in her mind. History before Shidou traveled back in time. A world just before the realization of her goal. Through Shidou's memories, Mio caught a glimpse of her own future. However, even when it was clear that she could get back Shinji, she didn't look fulfilled at all.
Ah, this way. The answer perhaps was already shown to her.
"Mio...!? What are you doing!?"
Shidou shouted before he could feel relieved about getting saved. Immediately Mio turned to look at Shidou as she spoke.
"─The reiryoku is out of control. If you leave it be, it will blow up the whole area around here. That said, the consequences will not stop at the level of the Eurasian catastrophe.─But, if I use Ain to equalize them so that they cancel out each other, maybe─"
"What─"
At Mio's words, Shidou felt like his heart was crushed. From that voice, from Mio's expression, he could already guess the meaning behind those words.
"What are you talking about...! If you do that, you will─!"
"..."
Mio did not respond. Shidou continued to scream out loud.
"Do not joke around with me...Why! Hadn't Shinji said that? That he wanted to let Mio see more of the world─! Even so, why─"
Shidou yelled, reaching out to stop Mio. Although his hands were unable to reach Mio, it was just enough to grasp the tip of Astral Dress. But, at that moment, the part that Shidou touched, vanished into thin air while giving out specks of light. As if, when reiryoku was sealed.
"─!"
As Shido felt suffocated, Mio loosened her lips.
"─Shidou. You are really a great man. I love you."
And as she said so, she winked as if this was only a joke.
"─However, you are still Shin's next life huh?"
At that moment, Mio herself realized. She still had another wish. No matter what she had done, she could not entirely bring Shinji back. If so then at least Mio's last wish was to go with Shinji to the end of the road here.
"("─I'm sorry, everyone─")"
Mio whispered as her consciousness slowly faded away. She had killed so many people. She had made so many people miserable. She did not expect herself to be forgiven, nor did she think that she would be forgiven. Absolute evil, the worst catastrophe of human history. It was herself.
Strange...that this feeling alone was not a lie. As the last remaining part of her consciousness began to disappear...
Ksssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
What's happening? Why does it feel like she is being called again? And why did it feel like something was draining the life out of her? She felt like the earth was shaking beneath the void. She felt like she was being torn apart, her entire being is now being stripped and laid bare...
"...No more."
The sound of an old man's voice, someone she did not recognize, was heard echoing in the void. And from the same moment, she thought her eyes would lay upon someone she did not expect.
"...!"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Mio. I've let you wait for so long."
Mio called up that name before; from the light arose a dim figure that she could recognize. It was a young man that she had deeply loved, the man behind her goals, the man she wanted back more than anything. Mio felt her tears coming out. Perhaps this was only the hallucination Mio saw when her consciousness was gradually dissipating. Perhaps this was only the illusion she could hear in her critical state. Even so, that was certainly the silhouette of the lover she had yearned for such a long, long time.
"(Shin─, Shin...!")"
As Mio tried to reach out...her hope dies as she sees the figure fade...
"...!"
No...more like the image was being distorted, as if it was shattered glass, and even as if the lines were now being drawn that separated the boundaries between the dimensions. And then, she felt a terrible scream. It was her voice, her scream, and she screams right now as she can feel the deeply harrowing pain that was now being felt.
What does Hell feel like for a Spirit such as her? Because it felt just like it if not even more so which was affecting her state of being. She can feel everything shatter, and she can hear countless echoing screams, screams of those who have died...or those who have yet to die but cannot...
But she does not understand. What is happening right now?
"...No more."
There it was...that voice again, the voice of an old man that she does not know. From her eyes, she can see whole worlds, entire planets that seem to be thrown around instantaneously, as if it were a game of tennis. She'd see terrible monsters, creatures of an eldritch form whose eyes and mouths would ache and burn the eyes of a mortal man. And she'd seen large bronze ships engaging what appeared to be giant ships of war that would howl through the void. And she'd see entire stars burn out. And she'd see whole civilizations burn. And the screams never stopped. And so did she...
More images came forth from her mind. And she would see...
"EXTERMINATE!"
A scream was heard from none other than the young man she recognized to be a son. Shidou Itsuka. Suffering a hundred thousand deaths at a single projectile whose electrical effects allowed his skin to flash with a furious and excruciating pain that contributed to his scream as he collapsed on the ground and died as charred smoke would arise from his body. And the common perpetrators were unknown beings who were coming from the sky...no, not just the sky, but from every sky if that makes sense. What are these terrible creatures whose screams shouted "EXTERMINATE!" as if they were a main directive? With bronze-colored casings in the shape of a salt or pepper container.
Her eyes widened in horror. She could not make sense of what is happening. What was even happening?
"...Oh, but it is possible, this is the Time War you see, you can murder anyone here, for in this war, even immortal gods of omnipotent power can die like animals and even the teeny tiny peoples that you humans are would basically be fleas trying to navigate through a storm beyond your own comprehension."
Another old man's voice, one that was different from the man who uttered "No more.". She can picture his old white hair and blue piercing eyes that made even her shudder due to such focus, such terrifying resolve that hid a deeper darkness. With an ivory shirt with a narrow collar, sometimes with sleeves rolled up, with a black cravat tie, and black trousers. She can see this man─no, not man, something in her mind would try to correct her, for she was seeing something else, something beyond the human...a Lord, she somehow thought? A Lord? A Lord of what? Such a title seem to elude her senses which were being distorted by the chaotic void as she felt herself being ripped apart by the atoms.
"...I'm terribly sorry for this, my dear boy, but I can assure you that this is definitely for the good of the Multiverse, so your death would not be so much in vain, for you would save so many lives...so I am fulfilling your one wish after all, except it's not so comforting as a kiss on the lips, is it?" the old man, the Lord of what...spoke to a tied up Shidou Itsuka, whose appearance could be recognizable, strapped to what appeared to be a device that was built through multiple contraptions.
She wanted to scream! She wanted to scream so much! Horror! Outrage! Revenge! Everything she could to hurt the man, the Lord of what?, for hurting her son!
And then, the image fades...
As the passing tide stretches on and on, she was hearing the echoes of so many souls that were lost to the throes of time, losing herself more and more, and she can feel every single memory that she had─of what she had with Shinji, of what she had with her son, of what she had with the Spirits, of what she had with others─were all being stripped and erased one by one. Erased in the sense as if they never happen. Impossible, she vehemently thought, this had all happened.
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
Was Mio even screaming at this point as she felt her entire being fade? She felt more images come to life.
She can see someone─a God of Magic─someone who is as far above her as if it was heaven itself while Mio was of the earth, and who lowered herself even more, with the scars that she carries within her to keep pressing forward, walking through the scorching fields of the damned as the shrilling cries of battle were heard, wearing formal military consisting of a blue overcoat, white shirt, blue pants, white formal wear gloves, white socks, and black boots. Feelings of the deepest pain run through her, an affinity of feelings that came for this woman that Mio would recognize. Oh, this woman lost someone too, and like with Shinji, this someone can never be brought back.
And then...another image came to life.
A bronze saucer falls down and explodes into nothing and swirling phenomena would sweep through the endless space.
And then...another image came to life.
An old man who had a stern and determined bearded face, green-brown eyes that lost their twinkle and only saw nothing but destruction and death reflected into his eyes, and clean-cut brown hair. He wore a dark brown leather trenchcoat, a dark green-brown double-breasted moleskin waistcoat, with 10 brass buttons and a fob chain attached to it. He wore tan corduroy trousers, a box-frame belt with several fastener pins and studded pinholes, and dark brown combat boots adorned with charcoal leather gaiters. For neckwear, he wore a knitted in a burgundy and ivory herringbone pattern. There was a bandolier that he wore across his left shoulder, taken from the body of someone that he had failed to save, as a firm reminder of his roots.
He was coming near...to Shidou...and helping him off of the machine that was hooked into him from all sides and looked completely dehydrated and felt so pale and his eyes were tired and without any form of relief, as carefully as the old man could, he would remove them, as if it was a delicate surgery that needed to be handled properly unless the patient were to die in very excruciating ways, as if he was once a...Doctor...
"...No more."
It had to be him! This man was the one who she first heard uttered the phrase as if it was his eternal battle cry, his resolve even in the deepest pits of hell. An echoing throbbing line through...time...He was another Lord of...what?
And then, she can feel everything shattering down as if the storm would suddenly calm down. Something was pulling her out of Hell. Something was tugging her out of this place, but she can also feel herself being removed from an entire part of who she was.
And she can see an image of one particular scene that seems separate from what she had experienced before, like she passed through one moment and the next as she felt being shattered into a thousand pieces...
"...!"
An image of at least two young men who were shirtless─and she could recognize Shidou, no matter how much younger he looked, tied up from an operating table.
"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
In a scream of pure agony and rage, as the interior flowing of memories came back one by one and Mio notices them all as her horror increases, a shockwave would suddenly occur throughout the operating room as multiple sparks fly like rainbows. It felt like Mio was seeing red from Shidou's own mental thoughts and perspective. His eyes were turning red, as hot as fire. Tears were leaking from his eyes. Flashes of ten women would come forth from his eyes.
Tohka, Origami, Kotori, Yoshino, Kurumi, Yamai, Miku, Natsumi, Nia, and Mukuro!
He lost them! They are dead! His family is dead! His friends are dead! Tenguu City is eradicated! His world was erased! His happiness is gone! His future is gone! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL! HELL!
...Something had happened.
It was like a violent bomb had detonated as the ground shook, sending those beings dressed in white priestly grabbed robes away. The electrical wiring that was sticking through Shidou, and an unconscious boy (that seemed to look a bit like Shidou?) who was on a nearby operating table were flurrying wildly. The entire operating room was now sparking with electrical discharges that came forth from Shidou. Multiple objects would suddenly get hurled from multiple directions. The operating tools, the mechanical equipment used in the surgery, and the wires that were sticking on Shidou, were all randomly blazing and breaking.
His scream was heard to echo across the entire base. And that scream...
"...Shidou!"
...Was intercepted by someone that Mio did not recognize. An old man that appeared to look like he was in his fifties with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a black jacket and grey trousers, with black fingerless gloves on his hands and black shoes. He felt the sudden influx of power...the strange kind of power that her son seems to have now possessed which has something in common with this old man, now that she thought of it.
Mio sees the man widen his eyes out of concern as she can tell by instinct that he is receiving the same memories that Shidou is now remembering...why, Mio thought, why remembering?
In the darkest hour, when anxiety filled the heart of this man, he would show a certain resolve. When the darkness of the night still lingers, as the moon shines from the heavens above as the light of the sun reflects back, and even when the rain fell and thunderous sounds clash, he would begin to raise his right hand upwards before twisting it slightly to the side. His left hand would be somewhere located on the side and he would begin to lower his right hand down to the center before swiping it to the right. Then he would raise his left hand and he would clench it along with his right fist that was in the right lower waist side as his body turned sideways.
"Hen...shin!"
And then, a bright light would come gushing forth, revealing what appeared to be a man in full-body armor, with a mixture of black and dark-green colors, and his helmet resembled a grasshopper with large red eyes.
"Kamen Rider Black RX!"
An echoing sound, the voice of this man from another time and place, was heard. A recognition. A name. A name that would be etched into her memory.
"Hang on, Shidou, Shinichiro, I'm on my way," Black RX spoke with a hardened resolve, feeling his scream, feeling his sorrow.
And then, the image flashes back to her son as the pain of the flashes would be pounding within his brain which was transmitted to his heart, would scream violently like a wild animal enraged at what had become of his home.
And at that moment...his entire body was changing as he was standing up from the operating table. He was transforming amidst the earthquake that was being produced by his rage, one whose spectacular display would awe the high priests who stood by as they came immediately to their senses and would frighten all of the mutants creatures that would bare witness to such a terrifying display of power. Purplish flames cover everything from the ground. Sparks from the various electrical wiring and circuitry were seen to flood every part of the operating room except for Shinichiro and the operating table that he was occupying.
From his half-naked human shape, Shidou Itsuka now dons a full body armor that was of a full black color. His helmet resembled the Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper, one that had red circular eyes, with yellow and red markings found on the helmet, neckline, wrists, and shins. Greyish smoke was arising from within his armor.
Mio could feel a type of strange power from within.
"Black...Sun..."
One of them─a High Priest─muttered, with hands raised as if in prayer.
But this was not a moment of triumph. It was rather a transformation filled with excruciating pain. Tears would flow from within the eyes of her son as he kneeled down on his knees. It felt like time was slow for him, between falling down on his knees and having just stood up from the operating table, as flashes of the memories filled with the happiest of moments still continued. It was painful, but they were the memories of happiness that he carried within his heart. And yet, the memories would somehow suddenly swipe by him once more, receding once more into the darkness, and blacking out, detransforming back into his exposed self who would now lay unconscious on the floor.
At the time when this happened, it was raining. Thunder marked the skies as the birth of a new hero would emerge from within the darkness.
"Shin..."
Mio Takamiya─Reine Murasame muttered before being ejected somewhere, being propelled somewhere, as if moving ever so forward until she finally landed where she was supposed to be in a specific time and place...
...With space quaking results.
Insert Song: End
ED Song:
Dareka ga Kimi o Aishiteru
Incarnation(s)/Regeneration(s) of the Doctor:
The War Doctor - A: John Hurt
New Characters:
The Summoner Witch of the Deep Night - VA: Yuka Inokuchi
Issei Hyoudou (New World) - VA: Yuki Kaji
Vali Lucifer (New World) - VA: Ryōta Ōsaka
Illyasviel von Einzbern (New World) - VA: Mai Kadowaki
Mio Takamiya/Reine Murasame - VA: Aya Endo
Shinji Takamiya - VA: Nobunaga Shimazaki
The Daleks - A: Nicholas Briggs
The Master (War Master Incarnation) - A: Derek Jacobi
Othinus - VA: Asami Seto