Same disclaimer as before, everyone: I do not own anything related to the Onimusha series, or to DC (Detective Comics) in any way, except for my own OCs. Just getting this out of my head, and having a load of fun doing it.
(''): Mental thoughts
("CAPS"): Oni Council thoughts
Onimusha: The Return
3. Choice of Fate
Summer 1992, somewhere on the isles of Japan...
Arcane machinery hummed and turned as three members of the Oni people moved to check on one of their own. "Are we sure about this?" Gargant, the revived traitor Oni, now bound to forced service by the Oni Council itself, asked as he and his compatriots walked to the private quarters of one of the head Oni researchers.
"I am sure, Gargant." Marcellus, the reborn Oni General and legendary warrior, stated firmly to Gargant. Their third comrade, the revived and transformed Genma-into-Oni Gogandantess, yet another powerful swordsman in their employ, quickly perked up as Marcellus chided Gargant.
"Ah! It almost seems unfair to me; all those years of showing the Lady my affections, and you KNEW that her mate had already been chosen by the fates, Marcellus! Shame on you!" Marcellus chuckled as they arrived at their destination.
"The Council swore me to utmost secrecy, Goga. Better to keep silent than to tempt fate, and encounter interference from our many enemies." Marcellus replied.
"Bah! Semantics! I hate it when your logic makes sense, Marcellus." Gargant growled as the door of the dwelling they had arrived at glowed, acknowledging their arrival.
"Makes him harder to get rid off, eh, Gargant?" Goga chimed in. "Now then, shall we go and check up on our Lady,... and her new arrival?" Hearing Goga's reply, the two other Oni nodded at him, and they announced their presence at the door by each one of them placing a hand on the door. It slid open moments later, revealing a sizable recovery room, and cabinets full of medical supplies. Nearby, two medical-caste Oni were diligently tending to a beaming, but very tired bedridden Lady Tenmara, who was holding a cooing bundle in her arms.
"Lady Tenmara." Marcellus greeted the Oni noblewoman as he and Gogandantess bowed to her. Gargant acknowledged her with a brief nod.
"Greetings, Generals." Lady Tenmara replied, still somewhat out of breath from the previous night, and the twenty-nine hours of labor she had endured to bring her child into their world.
"Is it true, my Lady?" Gogandantess gently inquired. "Was it... him?" Lady Tenmara smiled, then pointed at a nearby table, which held a small oil painting set into a gold frame. The General all looked at it, and their eyes grew wide in amazement at the image painted there.
Standing next to a very pregnant Lady Tenmara, and the spunky Tengu-turned-Oni aide Arin, - keeper of the Oni Shrine on Mt. Hiei - was a blonde-haired man dressed in ornate blue and black samurai armor, with the pommels of two large broadswords over his right shoulder. Mt. Hiei could be seen in the distance behind the trio. It was, without a doubt, the courageous Hideyasu Yuki, the illegitimate son of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the last human traitor to command the Genma. Of course, the Oni people knew him better as Kaijin no Soki, 'the Oni of the Ash,' and the Black Oni, he who had defeated Fortinbras over three hundred and fifty years ago. The Black Oni himself was the father of Lady Tenmara's child.
"Fates be praised." Marcellus spoke. Even Gargant shook his head in disbelief.
"May we know his name, my Lady?" Gogandantess asked, a wide grin on his face. Lady Tenmara smiled back.
"His blessed Oni name is known to only me and the Oni Council, Goga, but..." The Oni noblewoman said as she lovingly looked upon her newborn son. "... Kyosuke. His name is Kyosuke Tenkai, my friends: in honor of Soki's old ally against that accursed beast, Fortinbras, and his godfather: Samanosuke Akechi." Marcellus smiled at those words.
"A fine name, indeed, my Lady. He will bear it with honor; I'm sure of it." Goga spoke again as Marcellus finished speaking.
"Do tell us, Lady Tenmara,..." The grinning Genma-turned-Oni asked. "... when did you meet the Oni of the Ash?" Lady Tenmara smiled, even as her son gurgled insistently in her arms.
"A moment, Generals. My son is hungry... again." All three of the Generals nodded, and quickly stepped back so that the medical Oni could pull a privacy sheet between them as Lady Tenmara lowered her garments to nurse her son. She then began to speak to them through the shroud.
"It was a little more than a year ago. The Council basically browbeat me into taking a short break from my work." Lady Tenmara groused.
"They also asked Miss Arin, the protector of Mt. Hiei, to watch over me as I rested in her care there. Then, he came..." Lady Tenmara trailed off, remembering that day as if it were yesterday...
XXXXXX
Spring 1991...
"Welcome to Mt. Hiei, Lady Tenmara; your journey here was uneventful, I hope?" The child-sized evolved Tengu Arin greeted the Oni nobleman as she approached the temple steps. She was followed by General Marcellus, and two of his personal guards.
"No, Miss Arin, nothing out of the ordinary." Lady Tenmara replied. "Except, of course, for Marcellus here watching over me like a nervous hen." The women chuckled as Marcellus half-smirked at them, his own men stifling their laughter.
"Then, I have done my duty as your escort, Lady Tenmara." The Oni General replied, his tone sarcastic, but well-meant. "No harm befell you, and my guards here will remain to guard the temple gates to Mt. Hiei during your stay. I shall return in two days' time to see how you are." Marcellus then looked over at Arin. "Arin, keep a good eye on this one for us. She is to be resting here, not trying to fiddle with new projects." Lady Tenmara huffed at the Oni General's statement.
"Make sure no one plays with or attempts to decipher my work, General." Lady Tenmara sternly said. Marcellus nodded.
"Rest assured, Lady Tenmara; it will NOT be touched until you return. You have my word on that, and the providence of the Oni Council." Marcellus replied.
"Very well, General. I shall see you in two days." Lady Tenmara answered. Marcellus politely bowed,and headed off, while his two guards took up their posts, hidden behind Oni chameleon magics.
"So, would you like some tea, Lady Tenmara?" Arin asked her guest as they began to walk up the steps to the temple.
"Freshly brewed, I hope, Miss Arin." Lady Tenmara inquired with a smile. Arin grinned back.
"Of course; only the best for my guests." Lady Tenmara nodded.
"Then, lead on, my dear." Lady Tenmara said as Arin took her by the arm and lead her further on into the temple.
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Later on that night, the two guards called out to Arin from the gates. Someone was approaching, and they were walking right through the mists that protected Mt. Hiei without any problem. They drew their weapons, prepared for battle and ready to defend their charges and the temple, but it was Arin who stopped them when she sensed the familiar energy of the approaching person.
"C-can it be...? Is it, truly him?" She spoke to the air. A moment later, the hooded figure stepped through the mists, and stopped at the bottom of the temple steps. He looked up at the guards there with Arin, and pulled down his hood to show them who he was.
"Hello, Arin. I'm glad to see that you are well. It's been a long time." Soki, the Oni of the Ash, said as he greeted his friend, and began walking up the steps.
XXXXXX
"But... how?" Gargant wondered out loud at Lady Tenmara's words. "Forgive me for being blunt, Lady Tenmara, but didn't Lord Soki, well... disappear when he defeated Fortinbras? How...?" Before Gargant could continue on, Lady Tenmara adjusted her sitting position behind the curtain, then responded to his question.
"When he defeated the White Serpent, General, he also fully accepted a portion of his life as the Black Oni: omnipresence, if but for a short while." Gogandantess gasped at that revelation from Lady Tenmara, followed by Marcellus commenting on it.
"The divine ability to be in all places at the same time... he has seen what is to come, my comrades, and he has made sure that the Oni people are ready for it." The tall Oni General's words rang true for everyone in the room, especially Lady Tenmara.
"The Black Oni... he chose me to bear his son... I-I am so humbled! To be honored by his will... his descendant...!" Lady Tenmara was soon crying happy tears as her son still nursed from her bosom, his tiny hand wrapped tight around her finger, and gentle murmurs coming from him. Marcellus bowed his head in respect.
"Our champion has been born once more, my friends, and with Lady Tenmara, we shall teach him our ways, and the customs of humanity, so that when the evil that threatens this world rises again, he will be ready to lead us all against them." Marcellus said, as he looked at the shadow of the child in Lady Tenmara's arm behind the curtain. "Long live Lord Kyosuke Tenkai, son of Lady Tenmara and Lord Soki; let it be so. The Black Oni stands with us again."
"What was he like, my Lady?" Gogandantess asked, only to be answered by Arin, who had just entered the room with a smile on her face.
"That's easy, General." Arin spoke as she ducked behind the curtain for a moment, then came back around to continue speaking with them.
"Lord Soki is very much the same as Samanosuke: kind, brave, and loyal to a fault to his allies. But, if you do wrong, serve evil, or harm those he cares about, you will fall at his hands. Funny, though: he slept for the first two days he was there at the temple." The Generals all chuckled at that response.
"He actually slept for two whole days!?" Gargant guffawed. "Serves him right for fighting so hard against that foul serpent!" Gogandantess was more appreciative.
"A well-deserved rest for a difficult task completed, Gargant. Agreed, Marcellus?" The former Genma said to his squad leader.
"Yes." Marcellus replied. He then looked at Arin. "Just how much did he eat when he woke up, Miss Arin?" Arin grinned.
"Enough dumplings, rice balls, and fried fish to feed two battalions of Oni." Marcellus smiled at that response.
"Replenishing his energies in the physical plane before returning to his place on the spiritual level once more... so, Lady Tenmara...?" Marcellus began anew. "... when did Lord Soki seduce you?"
From behind the curtain, Lady Tenmara sputtered at that sly remark from the smiling Oni General. The Oni noblewoman was barely keeping her composure as her son was done nursing on her right side, and she was switching him to her left side to continue feeding when Marcellus said that. "General! I-I was NOT seduced! What happened between us was... well... was an accident!" Arin stepped in to save the now-flustered new mother.
"She walked right in on Soki bathing in the waterfall two months after his arrival to the temple, General, and in her own words, 'got caught up in the moment.'" Lady Tenmara squeaked out at that.
"Arin! That was not called for!" Still smiling, Arin went back around the curtain and patted Tenmara's shoulder, before returning to the Generals, and again speaking about Tenmara behind the shroud.
"'Caught up in the moment,' Lady Tenmara? For four and a half hours? Right." Arin just chuckled, causing Tenmara's face to turn beet red behind the curtain.
"Well, I think we've disturbed Lady Tenmara and her newborn son's time long enough, don't you think, everyone?" Marcellus commented, and the other Generals nodded. "We shall be on our way, then, and I will speak to the Council at length about this wonderful development." Lady Tenmara nodded at that.
"Thank you, General. And, my apologies, Gogandantess; but, as I said, fate would choose me a worthy suitor." The former Genma nodded to Lady Tenmara with a slight frown.
"If I cannot be satisfied that the Black Oni himself chose you, my Lady, to bear his child, and the next champion of the Oni, then I will be a very sorry excuse for an Oni General. I am quite happy for you." Goga said, while Gargant himself rolled his eyes at one of his two 'keepers.'
"Shall we get going now? I do have training lessons to attend to." Marcellus chuckled at Gargant's hidden meaning in his words.
"Ah, yes; it's high time we departed. Arin, keep a close eye on Lady Tenmara and her child. You know how she likes to make a nuisance of herself. Her son will likely be the same as her." Lady Tenmara gaped like a fish at Marcellus' comment, while Arin giggled in response.
"I will, General Marcellus. I promise." Tenmara finally huffed back at the Generals behind the curtain as Arin returned to her side. She went back to looking over little Kyosuke as he kept nursing on her left side, while the three Oni Generals left the medical wing of the temple and returned to the portal leaving from Mt. Hiei.
"Well, Goga? Do you approve?" Marcellus asked as the trio approached the edge of the shimmering portal. The reborn Genma-now-Oni smiled.
"He will be a delight to the ladies, my friends... and an unrelenting swordsman to the evil ones who will try to challenge him. Right, Gargant?" Goga looked at the third member of their group, who actually paused and rubbed his chin.
"If his father and godfather can stand up to me in battle, I will expect nothing less of the boy once he has the strength to wield a blade." Gargant replied, prompting Marcellus and Goga to smile at each other as they walked through the portal.
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Gogandantess and Gargant left Marcellus to check in on their training unit, while the head Oni General went to speak with the Council once more. Upon his arrival, the entire Council was overjoyed to hear of Kyosuke's birth; the son of the mighty Black Oni was now safely among his people. What the Council then told Marcellus, however, was no less surprising.
"So, our young warrior will not only show the younger clone of the Kryptonian how to manifest approximate versions of his innate powers due to his cloned nature, but he will also guide the older sister of the Tamaranean princess to her future mate?" Marcellus was amazed to hear what Lady Tenmara's son would do, to which the Council hummed in acknowledgement, and Marcellus answered that with another statement.
"Her future mate... he will also be a time-replicated, cloned version of Kal-El himself, and from the forty-first century, who will aid the League in repelling other threats to Earth as he adjusts to their world of relative peace?" Again, the Council glowed and hummed to Marcellus in confirmation. The Oni General smiled, as one of the Council's twelve lights spoke to him.
("THE LEGACY OF THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON WILL NOT END WITH JUST HIM, GENERAL MARCELLUS.") The first voice spoke. ("DESPITE ALL OF THE DARK FORCES WHO WISH TO SEE KAL-EL BEATEN, SUBJUGATED, OR DEAD AT THEIR HANDS, HIS WILLPOWER, COMPASSION, AND BELIEF IN THE HUMAN RACE'S FUTURE POTENTIAL WILL HOLD HIM FAST AGAINST EVIL. AND SO, AS WE HAVE FORESEEN IT, THOSE ASPECTS OF HIS EXISTENCE SHALL BE WITH ALL HIS DESCENDANTS.") Marcellus nodded again at the Council's words.
"And we, the Oni, shall stand fast with them all. By my blade and my life, I so swear it to you all. The Black Oni will be ready to face his destiny."
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A month later, Lady Tenmara returned to the hidden Oni compound, her infant son tucked close to her in a swaddling shoulder carrier. Many of the other female Oni quickly congratulated Lady Tenmara and heaped compliments on little Kyosuke. Still, they all soon understood one very important thing about the returning researcher.
Lady Tenmara and her son were under the close watch of the Oni Council, General Marcellus and his warriors. No one, especially any hidden evils or envious allies, were going to have any chance to catch the child and his mother unaware before he was trained and ready to take up the honored role of Onimusha. As time passed in the protective temporal domain of the Oni, Kyosuke quickly grew of age.
The growing child showed high aptitude with magical knowledge and the perfected arcane technology his mother created, and took to the training regimen with the three Oni Generals like a fish to water. Although Gargant was the most brutal of the three, Kyosuke understood that the Genma, and by extension any enemy he faced, would show him no mercy. The son of the Black Oni did not waver in the slightest.
Bit by bit, day by day, month by month, Kyosuke realized more and more of his innate potential. His mother's eyes were filled with pride every time Kyosuke learned and succeeded at his lessons and in his training, a growing flair in his efforts becoming evident in all his accomplishments and tasks.
Then, on the eve of his eleventh birthday among the Oni, all of his people saw the son of the Black Oni grasp his first true magical gift. With the blessings of his mother, and the Oni Council, Kyosuke's Oni brands appeared on his hands and arms.
With the arrival of the Oni brands, marking Kyosuke as a true warrior of the Oni, he then claimed the first of his many inheritances: the mighty Buraitou, the 'Dancing Thunder Sword,' used by Jubei Yagyu to aid him in slaying the arrogant Nobunaga Oda's first gruesome form, given to him when the Genma revived him from death.
Over time, Kyosuke's skills grew, and his combat experience forged him into a truly formidable warrior in the eyes of the three Oni Generals. Other weapons used by Jubei during his time as the Onimusha eventually came into Kyosuke's keeping as well: the sleek Hyojin-Yari, the 'Ice Blade Spear'; the impressive Senpumaru, the 'Whirlwind Circle', also called the Sword of Winds; the might Dokutsui, the 'Earth Barren Hammer'; and finally, the burning power of the Rekka-Ken, the 'Raging Fire Sword.'
Each and every weapon, once given to Jubei through Takajo, his Oni mother and Lady Tenmara's own sister - and with the blessings of the Council - were now Kyosuke's to use as he saw fit. He also received the Oni Sacred Orbs, the five concentrated spheres of ancient virtue which he now kept in his personal chambers under the heaviest of Oni protective magics. One day, the son of the Black Oni would unlock the keys to the orbs' power, and would truly be the new Onimusha.
In the end, Kyosuke was finally approaching the day when he would leave the protective temporal domain of the Oni on his own, to spend more time among humanity, and to see just where his growing powers would be most needed. Two days before he was due to leave, though, Kyosuke returned to his mother's dwelling to see her holding a pair of ornate cases of him, gifts for the new journey he was about to begin.
One case held a specially made version of the arcane rapid-fire crossbow that Kyosuke had mastered during his training, marked as his with the same Oni brands that were on his forearms, but hidden from view by anyone who was not an Oni. The other case was opened to reveal a high-frequency arcane katana, sheathed in a scabbard with the seal of Tenmara's family on it, and the mark of the Black Oni. Only Kyosuke would be able to wield those weapons against his enemies.
To top it all off, the Oni Council summoned Kyosuke and Lady Tenmara to their hidden meeting place. Moments after they arrived, the Council presented the son of the Black Oni with their final treasure to him: the special ancient contract between humanity and the Oni, forged when the Council came to be... the Oni Gauntlet itself. The weapons and sheer power of the Gauntlet were sealed for now, but the ancient artifact recognized Kyosuke as Samanosuke's godson and Soki's son instantly.
The Gauntlet affirmed its bond with the descendant of the Black Oni, and Kyosuke humbly accepted the gift, vowing to use its power as its predecessors had. With the Council's blessing, Kyosuke headed off to finalize his departure, but not before he hugged his mother, and thanked her for all her hard work in raising him.
The son of the Black Oni was ready to journey into his future...
XXXXXX
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Autumn 2013...
The City of Brotherly Love had been spared any property damage during the attempted destruction plan enacted by the repelled Reach. Therefore, it was rather easy for all the citizens to get back into a normal routine of life. No one in the city suspected that things were about to change... drastically.
Walking along the street, a tall, broad shouldered African-American man kept his eyes in front of him, thankful that his 'disguise' was in place. He didn't need to freak anybody out; he was just in town visiting, while on his way to Washington, D.C. to attend a new seminar on robotics and cybernetics.
('This conference should be hot; both WayneTech and S.T.A.R. Labs are on a roll, now that those 'Light' fools have been locked up.') The young man thought to himself as he quietly walked into an Internet café nearby. Buying a small cup of Jo, the young man went back outside and sat down on the concrete benches outside. They were the only things that could hold his real weight without shattering.
('Ah, Stone, my man, how the times have changed.') Victor Stone, better known as the former Teen Titan Cyborg, reminded himself as he sipped his beverage, recalling how over the last ten years, his father had upgraded his cybernetics, monitoring Victor as his neural matrix became even more intricate in its functions and abilities. Compared to the cybernetic organism he once more, Victor was now twenty times the human-driven machine he had been. ('Booyah.') He mentally chuckled.
Presently, Victor heard the roar of a very powerful motorcycle engine, and turned to see a young man, likely in his twenties, pulling up to the curb on said motorcycle. He wore dark shades that hid his eyes, and was astride the motorcycle in style as he kicked out its kickstand. Turning off the two-wheeler's impressive engine, he stepped off his ride, and headed into the café.
('Sweet ride.') Victor mentally commented, his cybernetic eye glowing beneath his dense holographic disguise as he casually scanned the bike before him. What his advanced eye saw, however, shocked him: invisible, powerful streams of concentrated energy flowed all around the bike, almost as if it had a circulatory system of its own! ('What the heck!?') Victor thought, glad his disguise was hiding his now-fallen jaw from sight.
Just as his systems were recording the info, the young man stepped out of the café, chewing on one half of a bagel, with a hot cup of Join his other hand as he sat down at a table nearby. ('Who are you?') Victor wondered.
Just then, a nervous-looking man ran right past the café, holding a stolen purse under his arm and looking over his shoulder! Seeing the unattended motorcycle, though, was more than the thief could bear, and he leaped on it, trying to gun the throttle and fire up the bike. The thief never saw it coming: a powerful electric shock from the bike sent him flying, while the owner of the sleek ride merely frowned at the sight.
Cyborg arched an eyebrow as the owner proceeded to sigh, then shoveled the rest of his bagel into his mouth, and stood up to walk over to the stunned thief. The young man finished chewing on the way over and swallowed it down as he stood over the groaning thief. "Moron." He said, right as a pair of harried beat cops came on scene, obviously chasing after the thief. Checking his ride over, the young man quickly gave a brief description of what had happened to the two cops before walking back to collect his beverage.
Cyborg recorded it all through his cybernetic eye, and wondered just who this new person in town actually was. Then, to his surprise, the young man turned to look around for a new seat, and noticed Cyborg seated on the concrete bench. He then walked over and asked him, "Excuse me? May I?" Cyborg shrugged, then slid over a bit to allow him to sit down and enjoy his beverage.
"Thanks." The young man said. Cyborg replied, "No biggie." They sat there in silence for a few minutes before the young man spoke up again, but in a lowered tone due to their surroundings. "Excuse me for asking, but aren't you a former member of the Titans?" Cyborg covered his surprise well, even though many people did still remember his days with the Teen Titans back in Jump City.
"The NFL? Nah, man. I'm just a regular guy with a knack for tech." Cyborg said to the young man, who chuckled, looked around him, and then leaned over to Cyborg. When he did, he lowered his dark shades just a touch, allowing Cyborg to catch a hint of glowing purple eyes!
"No need to be jumpy, friend. I can keep a secret, especially when a hero like you drops by the City of Brotherly Love to renew his humanity." The words spoken by the young man carried a powerful, approving measure, and Cyborg could not help by smile at the compliment. The young man put his cup down, and offered Cyborg his hand. "Name's Obari. Nice to meet you." Looking at the hand, Cyborg smiled back as he grasped it, shaking it happily.
"Call me Stone. Better that than a horde of wild groupies dragging after me." The young man - Obari - chuckled before sipping his coffee. "I can imagine. Hmmm, this brew's not too bad, but I prefer tea myself when I really want to relax." Cyborg nodded.
"Where ya from, Obari?" Cyborg asked. "Kyoto, Shiga Prefecture." Cyborg paused at that statement, his neural matrix humming as it assessed Internet data on the place Obari told him about. "I see that the cherry blossoms are famous around there." Obari nodded in response.
"It was a great place to live, especially around Mt. Hiei. No offense to our generation, Stone, but a few moments of peace and quiet are good to have in between all of that Internet chatter in your ears." Stone chuckled in response.
"I can imagine; sometimes, I really wish I could completely filter out the info in my head now." Obari clapped his hand on Cyborg's burly, disguised shoulder.
"Let me know if you want to try it out sometime." Obari said, plucking an embossed business card out of his inside jacket pocket and handing it to Stone. It read, 'Obari Ventures and investigations.' Cyborg flipped it over to see the digits printed on the other side of the card.
"Heh, you're a P.I., pal?" Cyborg chuckled, and Obari smiled back, looking skyward after taking the last sip of his beverage. "I've had my share of heavy cases, Stone. A little time off is... always... good..." Obari suddenly trailed off, as he felt something, his innate heightened perception alerting him that danger was coming.
"Bagana...(1)... here...?" Obari said out loud. As Obari got up suddenly, looking left and right, Cyborg got up as well, trying to see what was wrong.
"Hey, Obari? What's got you so spooked, man?" At that, Obari closed his eyes, bowed his head, and 'listened' with his inner self, seeking answers. What he soon found, he did not like one bit.
"Stone..." Obari spoke up. "... we've got trouble coming our way. Gear up." Hearing those words from the young man, his eyes now aglow from behind his shades, quickly put Cyborg into a combat mind-set.
XXXXXX
"How can you tell, man?" Cyborg inquired, to which Obari quickly stepped over to his bike, placing his hand upon its chassis, and spoke in fluent Japanese. To Cyborg's own surprise, the motorcycle hummed back at Obari, and the mysterious man understood it to boot! Obari then scowled to himself as he turned to Cyborg.
"Stone, have you had any dealings with magic and the supernatural?" At that inquiry from Obari, Stone arched an eyebrow before responding.
"My old pal Raven is a sorceress. Powerful one, too; been awhile since we knocked bad guys around together, but he gave me enough pointer to handle those kinds of threats if I ever ran into them on my own." Obari smiled at that.
"Good; whatever she taught you, start getting ready to make use of it, 'cause I think that we're-"
"AAAIIIEEEEEEEEEE!" The piercing scream that filled the air was followed by a fearful shout of "MONSTERS! Run!" "Whoa!" Cyborg exclaimed, while Obari tapped a panel on his ride, opening up a metallic side saddle to reveal a sheathed katana sword, and a collapsed crossbow.
"Time to get rolling, Stone." Obari ordered as he retrieved his weapons. "Just so you know, by the way, Obari's not my real name. I'll tell you what it is once we all get through this, without any casualties." Before Cyborg could inquire more on that, Obari was astride his bike, revving the throttle and reading a small display on the chassis. "The disturbance I'm picking up is three block east! You coming, Stone!?"
As Obari asked him that while belting on his katana and sliding the crossbow into a shoulder holster, Cyborg's sensors could see people clearing out of the area, running for their lives. Cyborg shrugged, and deactivated his cloaking field, revealing his grey-silver toned and upgraded cybernetic body for all to see. Obari nodded approvingly.
"I see that your father's greatly improved on the initial systems you had, Cyborg. It should prove more than enough to take out the trash." Obari said. "I assume that you have flight capabilities now?" Cyborg nodded, as twin boost thrusters emerged from his back, powering up and allowing him to hover a few feet off the ground.
"Let's move, Obari!" Obari nodded at Cyborg's confirmation, and peeled out on his ride, roaring away as Cyborg followed him in the air. They tore off around a few corners with ease, and soon pulled onto the street in question to see a small screeching mass of horn-beaked, wide-rimmed hat wearing creatures tearing the street apart with their short swords. They were also headed in the direction of a huddled, scared group of unarmed civilians hiding behind some thick bushes.
('Genma foot soldiers; I hate being right.') Obari groaned to himself. Pulling his crossbow free and allowing it to snap into its active mode, Obari set his sights on his targets. "Those things are only reanimated organic material, Stone! With what Raven told you on how to apply your weapons to them, go full bore on them, and don't stop until they're dust! Go!" Cyborg's thrusters flared as he quickly powered up his weapon systems, and his targeting scanners picked his marks.
"On it! Boo-Yah!" Cyborg yelled as he and Obari engaged the creatures.
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Cyborg's upgraded Sonic Disruptor, along with his new Nova Blaster cannon mode, tore through one side of the Genma foot soldiers in seconds. The concentrated sound waves literally ripped the Genma apart with their intensity, while the Nova Blaster shots fried the screeching creatures to a crisp. Obari opened up on the middle section of the Genma with his crossbow. The barrel of Obari's weapon suddenly glowed with energy, and a flurry of energy 'bolts' lanced out, impaling several more Genma with multiple shots and with enough force to put them down to the ground permanently. ('Dang, wicked!') Cyborg thought as he fired off several micro-missiles from his shoulder launchers to halt the Genma advance.
"Cover me!" Obari hollered to Cyborg as he drove his motorcycle right at the remaining Genma soldiers, smashing through and over more of the Genma as he barreled into their ranks! Then, without missing a beat, Obari leaped off his bike into a perfect soaring back-flip, while still firing his crossbow at more Genma. Still in mid-air, Obari shouted out another command! "Accelous! Mode shift!"
As Obari landed, the racing motorcycle suddenly exploded into several spinning pieces, but quickly reformed themselves into an impressive equine automaton, complete with blue glowing eyes and a flaring white mane of synthetic fibers! As Cyborg hollered out his surprise with the word "Awesome!", the robotic horse stomped over to the humans taking cover, hiding them from the sight of the Genma before unleashing powerful pulse energy beams from its eyes! The beams easily incinerated any Genma who dared to attack them or the automaton now protecting them.
With the threatened humans safe from harm, Obari closed his crossbow and shouldered it into its holster. A second later, Obari unsheathed his sleek hi-tech katana blade, then pointed his open hand at the dying Genma before him. Instantly, those defeated Genma all burst into dust, flowing with streams of multi-colored lights, which suddenly flowed right into Obari's raised palm!
Cyborg's jaw dropped, even as he targeted and blasted two more Genma, wondering just how the heck Obari had destroyed them, as well as what the hell he had absorbed from them moments later. As Cyborg flew off and landed near a new bunch of civilians who were being pinned down by a few Genma archers, Obari slashed through two more Genma attacking him, then blocked an sloppy overhead strike from a third Genma before vanishing from sight!
Even with his cybernetic eye, Cyborg could barely track Obari's movement as he lost sight of him. However, his audio receptors quickly picked up a series of powerful slashes all around the plaza. He also saw several Genma foot soldiers suddenly seize up in place, as if the life had been taken right out of them. Abruptly, Obari reappeared nearby Cyborg, his katana held low and to the side, right as the remainder of those Genma soldiers also burst into dust and more multi-colored lights!
With a swipe and clench of his open hand, Obari 'pulled' in all those streaming lights to himself once more, somehow absorbing them without any trouble. "Get the left flank before they fire their next volley!" Obari suddenly shouted, pointing toward the Genma archers still firing at them. "I'll take the right! Accelous! Barriers!"
The robot horse neighed at Obari's cry, forming protective energy fields around the two groups of civilians. As the flaming arrows of the Genma bounced away, Obari sheathed his katana, drew out his crossbow again, and perfectly skewered three Genma archers he saw with multiple energy 'bolts.' "Come on out, coward!" Obari shouted into the night air. "I know you're here! Face me, if you dare!"
('Who's he talkin' to now?') Cyborg wondered as he picked off the remaining two Genma archers to his left. Obari had already closed and shouldered his crossbow, while one hand rested on the sheath of his katana, the other hand hovering over the hilt of his weapon, his senses alert to all aspects of his surroundings. Evidently, Obari's bellow had the intended effect he wanted it to. Suddenly, with speed rivalling Kid Flash, Cyborg saw Obari unsheathed his katana in an instant, deflecting away a thrown dagger from his head! "I see we have an Oni warrior in our midst, this day." A raspy voice sounded out, accompanied by a shadowy figure stepping out from the nearby alley. Obari's eyes quickly narrowed behind his shades, while Cyborg wondered how his scanners had missed this new enemy.
"A Three-Eyes; stands to reason such an attack by just Genma foot soldiers and archers would be put into play by your kind." The undead ninja Genma frowned behind his mask at the shot.
"I need no aid to kill one like you." Obari grinned, even as his shades themselves glowed with blue light, transforming into a sleek face-covering helmet!
"I can sense them as easily as I can smell you, Genma. You should know better than to try and face me alone." Obari replied, focusing his inner strength to his hand, and the shimmering Oni brand on his palm. "Buraitou !" Obari shouted, and at that command, his sheathed katana vanished from his side! It was replaced by a blue mist that encircled Obari's hand, then spread out and vanished, leaving a larger, but more elegant katana in his hand, aglow and crackling with electricity!
"Bagana...!"(1) The Three-Eyes whispered, but Cyborg still heard him. "You... you are one of them...! Onimusha!"
Obari was still grinning at the stunned Three-Eyes, even as the Genma's compatriots appeared behind the undead ninja. Perfectly balancing his godfather's weapon, the sleek 'Dancing Thunder Sword' in his hands, Obari took up his battle stance.
"Come and get me." The two Three-Eyes behind the first one instantly rushed Obari, sliding along the ground as if it was made of pure ice, leaving their leader to gauge their result as they attacked their mortal enemy. The first Three-Eyes stabbed down at Obari with its weapon, but the swordsman was infinitely faster, blocking the attack aside with his new sword and whirling into a perfect vertical slash that struck the second charging Three-Eyes, splitting him in half!
Then, before the remaining Three-Eyes could turn to attack his opponent again, Obari reversed his arcane blade and stabbed behind him, skewering the shocked Three-Eyes in mid-turn! Both turned to dust seconds later, and again, Obari somehow absorbed the red, yellow, and blue flickering lights they left behind into his empty hand! With only one Genma left on the battlefield now, Obari's steely gaze never left the Three-Eye's position across the street.
"Tell me who sent you, vermin, and your end with be swift." Obari growled, but the last Three-Eyes, to his credit, shook his head. "For the Genma!" The undead ninja shouted as he suddenly slid right across the ground, just like his dead allies, only for his attack to be turned aside just the same, right before he was introduced to a quick forward stab from Obari!
A rapid barrage of lightning-infused strikes from Obari suddenly assaulted the Genma soldier from every angle possible! The last thing the defeated Three-Eyes saw was a huge lightning bolt falling from heaven with Obari's final blow, that turned him to ash!
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Obari stood where he had felled the last Genma Three-Eyes, still making sure he drew in any lingering, freed red 'souls' for later use, while the yellow 'souls' restored his stamina and health. The blue 'souls' he took in refreshed the magical energies expended by him using the Buraitou's power, while Obari extended his senses once more to see if there were any remaining Genma in the area.
Thankfully, the ethereal pressure of attempts by more Genma to break into the human world were gone now, and Obari could no longer smell their stench. ('We're in the clear, for now.') He mused to himself. Turning to look over at Cyborg, who was performing med scans on the civilians, Obari relaxed and dispelled the Buraitou back into his inner spirit, retrieving his regular sleek katana and letting it return to his belt. Then, Obari walked over to Cyborg.
"How are they, Cyborg?" Cyborg's red cybernetic eye finished glowing, and the solemn hero responded to Obari's question.
"Bumps and bruises, scrapes and cuts, but otherwise, no casualties." Cyborg stated as he stood up, checking his arm computer. Obari nodded.
"Fates be praised." Obari replied.
"I'm picking up police band reports, and this area was the only one those bug-brains came out at, and attacked. The rest of the district is clear." Cyborg said. Obari took in a deep breath of relief.
"Good. This may have been just a scouting mission for them, but to beat them back, and without anyone dying, is a welcome victory for us, Cyborg." Obari gladly replied as he stepped over to check on the tall robotic equestrian. "All systems good, Accelous?" The Oni warrior asked, to which the robotic horse nuzzled his chest. "Good; I'm glad."
Just then, Obari's senses twitched, and he looked over his shoulder at Cyborg, who now had a targeting laser locked on his back. "Man, we need to talk." Obari remained calm as he slowly turned to face Cyborg, hands still at his sides.
"You'll have your answers soon enough, Cyborg. But, now is not the time." Obari said to his concerned ally. "I have to report in with my own people, as do you, and I can't delay with this information." Cyborg frowned, his targeting beam never wavering from Obari's chest.
"I can't just let you wander off, man, not after what happened here. The authorities will want to know what those things were, so you're coming-" Cyborg started, only to be cut off by a fierce glare from Obari, his glowing eyes focused on him.
"No, Cyborg. I'm not coming with you." Obari replied sternly. "All you need to know, to research and prepare for what's coming, are these words: 'Genma,' 'monsters,' 'Kyoto,' and the year 1598. You'll find out everything you need to know about those evil beasts and their purpose, and then, you and I will see each other again, Cyborg. This little trip those creatures made today? It's only the beginning of what is to come."
Obari finished speaking to an incredulous Cyborg, then snapped his fingers, prompting the robotic horse - Accelous - to transform back into its sleek motorcycle mode. Once that was done, Obari spoke again to Cyborg.
"Talk to your old friends, Cyborg. Tell them to be prepared from now on... and inform the squires of the Dark Knight, that they will have answers after I have them, not one single seconds sooner." Obari stated as he seated himself on his transformed steed, gripping the handlebars as the sentient vehicle's turbine rumbled to life.
"How will I find you?" Cyborg inquired as he heard the approach of ambulance sirens in the distance.
"I'll find you, Cyborg, and your allies. That's a promise, for you will need my help as much as I will need yours." Obari said. "Take care, and watch your back. The Genma despise humanity, my friend, so they will return, and so shall I." With that Obari peeled out again, and left Cyborg alone in the plaza, wondering what the heck was going on now in the world he knew.
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Wow... did this one last a while, but it had to be done to let everyone know just how big the role 'Obari' is going to have in the coming chapters, and when the Team and the Justice League finally meet him. Hope you all enjoyed this, but man, I'm beat! Later!
(1) I do believe that means 'impossible.' Don't shoot me; I'm extremely bad at Japanese grammar and translations.