We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Legends of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Chapter 2: Clash of the Armored War Gods! Gaim VS Knuckle!
After returning to the village to get Ryuubi a new outfit to replace the one ruined by the Rinrinshi, the traveling party resumed their journey. Ryuubi's new clothes were rather similar to Kanu's, except that it had a wide green collar with a pink ribbon, a red skirt and thigh-high boots. While the reason to get Ryuubi a new set of clothes had been good, it didn't stop Iori from teasing Nagata as she had been wearing his shirt when they came back.
'Collecting a harem my ass,' Nagata thought ruefully of his friend's teasing.
Now back on the road, they were heading for Kosonsan's city. Nagata was actually looking forward to seeing an old friend and so was Ryuubi. Their new friend apparently had gone to school with Kosonsan as a child, making them old childhood friends. It gave the group high hopes that if Kosonsan did have the sword, she would be more than willing to part with it should it be the one that was stolen from Ryuubi.
The friends were traveling up the hill, but Chouhi was deep in thought, "Kosonsan, Kosonsan, now who have I seen that has that name?"
"Rinrin, it can't be that hard to remember Kosonsan," Nagata sweatdropped. The red-haired ruler wasn't that hard to forget about. Then again, Chouhi was the kind of girl who was fooled by something as little as a domino mask shaped like a butterfly. Asking her to remember a person she only met once may have been too much for the child's head.
Going over the hill, they reached the main road, slowly coming towards a crossroads. It was there that Chouhi finally seemed to remember where the place they were in. Running up to the crossroads, she began to smile, "I remember this place! Down one road is where the village I grew up in can be found!" she pointed to the road itself. "This is where Aisha-neechan and Nagata-niichan told me their real names!"
"Very good Rinrin. So you finally remembered," Kanu smiled.
"I also see Shakudouzan Mountain," Nagata pointed, looking at the mountain in question. "We had a pretty wild adventure up there."
Komei blushed, "Um...is it true that Aisha and Sei were hidden inside a tight box and were pressed up against one another and had to squirm a lot to stay comfortable?"
Kanu frowned, her eyebrow twitching as she looked to Chou'un, "Sei, what did you tell her?"
"Just the truth," the bluenette insisted.
"To you, everything is one big innuendo," Nagata frowned. "Try not to corrupt any young impressionable minds, will you?"
As they approached the gate, Nagata recognized the guards who stood there and they stopped. Both men had been ordered to stop Kanu the last time they were there since Kosonsan had wanted to recruit her into their forces. They almost missed her because, in their eyes, her face wasn't as beautiful as her hair. It was a common mistake that caused Kanu no end of grief.
"Oh, it's the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter Kanu-dono and friends," one of the guards recognized Kanu. "What brings you all back here?"
"We actually came here to see Kosonsan-dono on an important matter," Kanu explained. She gently nudged Ryuubi forward.
"Please tell her that Ryuubi Gentoku is here to see her," Ryuubi told the guards.
"Of course," the guard said. "It's good to see you all back in our lands again. Your black hair is as beautiful as ever Kanu-dono."
'She's taken you know,' Nagata thought to himself, struggling not to act like the jealous boyfriend. It was just a compliment that Kanu was being paid. Everyone agreed that her hair was one of her best features.
"Wow, so your nickname is well known even out here?" Ryuubi smiled in delight.
"Yep! They praised her about it last time too!" Chouhi nodded.
"Just my hair though…" Kanu groaned.
"Well I remember saying that while her hair is pretty, the rest of Kanu is just as beautiful," Nagata spoke up, causing Kanu to flush but smile at the same time. He smiled back at her in response, assuring her that he was being sincere.
The group was led to Kosonsan's estate where they were welcomed with open arms. Kosonsan rarely received any friendly visitors so when she learned that Ryuubi was coming with Kanu, Chouhi, Chou'un, Nagata, and Komei, she immediately had her men bring them over. The group was escorted to her private garden and was seated in the gazebo with tea. It didn't take long for Kosonsan to come out to greet them, her eyes bright as she saw Ryuubi.
"It's been such a long time, Touka-chan," Kosonsan greeted Ryuubi with a hug.
Nagata blinked, 'Touka?' That was the same name as the village. That had to be a very huge coincidence.
"I've missed you so much, Hakukei-chan," Ryuubi smiled as she returned the hug.
"Touka-chan, we're childhood friends. Just call me by my real name," Kosonsan replied.
"Oh...your real name?" Ryuubi looked puzzled. "It's Pai...Pai..." Touka clapped her hands together. "Paipai-chan!"
"PAIREN!" Kosonsan corrected in annoyance. "It's Pairen! How could you forget that!?"
Ryuubi innocently leaned back, giggling, "Well, I used to call you Paipai-chan anyway." Kosonsan frowned but then sighed as she recomposed herself. She was used to this anyway.
"That's when we were kids. Call me Pairen from now on," Kosonsan requested.
"Sorry," Ryuubi apologized.
"Did you remember when we played behind the school together?" Kosonsan asked. "We went picking flowers behind our teacher's house!"
"We did?" Ryuubi tilted her head to the side. "Well, I remember picking flowers…"
"Of course we did! How could you forget!?"
"Sorry, sorry!"
"You know, I almost feel bad about making all those jokes that she was very easily forgotten," remarked Chou'un. She had been joking when she commented that Kosonsan had been difficult to remember. It seemed that the joke was not so fictitious after all.
"I think it's much worse because Ryuubi-san doesn't mean any harm," Komei commented.
Calming down, Kosonsan sat back down to recompose herself. "It's very good to see all of you again, Kanu-dono, Gaim-dono, Chouhi-dono and Chou'un-dono," Kosonsan said to the rest of the party. She remembered them all. The only new face was Komei. "Oh, who's this?" Without waiting for an answer, she began to smile and pat Komei's head, "Ah, I see that you've got another child, Kanu-dono and Gaim-dono." This made the pair facefault.
"She's not our kid!" both Nagata and Kanu exclaimed defensively.
"Indeed. Aisha and Gaim-sama have not yet done anything to make a child," Chou'un added helpfully, only for Kanu to lunge at her to try and keep her from saying anything more.
"Sei, there's no reason for you to say that," Nagata hissed, his face red.
"You're not helping," said Kanu.
"Ah ha ha ha, my mistake then" Kosonsan laughed lightly. "So, what brings you all here?"
Throwing a withering glare at Chou'un who Kanu was finally releasing, Nagata decided to explain, "Well, we heard that you found a pretty unique sword after raiding a bandit camp and we were hoping you could show it to us. You see, Ryuubi-san had a very special sword stolen from her by a thief and she's been trying to track it down. She last heard about it in Touka Village where we settled down, but the man who had it was really a thief stealing her identity and ran when he was found out. We think you may have found the sword he stole,"
Kosonsan's eyes widened at the explanation before she gulped. Nagata, Kanu, and Chou'un could already guess that there was going to be an answer that they weren't going to like.
"Please, Paipai-chan! It's a family heirloom!" Ryuubi begged.
"Call me Pairen!" she corrected Ryuubi but then she apologized, "And I'm sorry but I don't have the sword anymore."
"But why?" Ryuubi asked. How could Kosonsan already not have it?
"Well, you see, last year my lands were struck by a terrible famine. We were able to make do for a little while but food supplies were running low. So, I didn't have much of a choice and went to Ensho-dono for help. I asked her if we could borrow some of the extra food she had stored. However, she wouldn't give me the food for free. When she heard of the sword, she had me give it up as collateral until I could properly pay her back." She apologized, "Touka-chan, I'm really sorry. If I knew that it was your sword..." Ryuubi gently put her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"It's OK, Paipai-chan. You were only thinking for the welfare of your starving people. A sword is a small price to pay to make sure everyone is well-fed," Ryuubi understood.
"I feel so ashamed though," Kosonsan shook her head. "That jeweled scabbard with the jewel on the hilt, I should have recognized it! I had seen it so many times when I went to visit your house!"
"Hey, Ryuubi-san's right. Considering the circumstances, you did the right thing," Nagata added in agreement. Kosonsan was a good person, willing to give up items that would be incredibly valuable or enhance her image for the sake of her people. A less loving ruler would have tried to do anything else to avoid giving up their personal luxuries.
"Now that we know the sword isn't here, there really isn't any point in staying," remarked Chou'un.
"What a waste. We walked all the way here for nothing," grumbled Chouhi.
"We really didn't think it'd disappear before we could get here," Kanu sighed.
"Well, there's just one choice then. We have to go to Ensho's and ask for the sword," Nagata said. That may be a difficult task since Ensho was without a doubt one of the most materialistic women he had ever met. If they had any luck though, Haru or Armored War God Knuckle as he was publicly known might be able to convince her to hand it over without a fuss. He had his doubts though...
"Gaim-sama is right. I'm sure we can reason with her," Komei agreed.
Kosonsan grimaced. They were so optimistic but it was worth a shot. She volunteered, "Then I will come with you! It's my fault I lost the sword so I must make amends."
"Thank you, Paipai-chan!" Ryuubi said gratefully.
"It's Pairen!"
It was a few days later within Ensho's palace, Ganryo was in her underwear and looking herself in the mirror. She was pinching her stomach and found that she was getting flabby. She was very self-conscious about her figure, especially since picking up the affluent lifestyle as one of Ensho's retainers. She couldn't complain about it, but she didn't want to turn into some rolly polly woman as she had seen in some noblewomen.
"Maybe I should give up on swimsuits that show off my stomach," she sighed to herself. She'd have to make up an exercise schedule or something to that extent. "Knuckle-sama is good at fitness. Maybe I could ask him for some help." Her self-inspection was suddenly interrupted when her friend Bunshu barged into her room. "Kyaa!"
"Toshi!" Bunshu called.
"Iishe, knock first!" Ganryo snapped in embarrassment, covering her body out of reflex. Even if they were both girls, Ganryo didn't want her supposed flab to be witnessed by anyone.
"No time! Some people are looking for Reiha-sama. Do you know where she is?" Bunshu asked.
"The usual," Ganryo answered.
"Oh, right!"
Bunshu approached one of her ruler's private chambers. She was always wary of entering considering some of the things Ensho could get up to when she was bored or had some scheme cooking in her head. Bunshu still forged ahead, but she stopped when she got to the door. Ensho could be heard moaning in pleasure.
"Ah...that's right. Harder...harder...Aaaaah~"
Had she truly done it? Had she truly bedded Haru? Bunshu sighed and opened the door.
No, she was just having her usual spa treatment. Right now she was lying facedown on a massage table, naked with only a towel covering her backside while the maids massaged her.
"What is it, Iishe?" asked Ensho, moaning in dissatisfaction at being interrupted. "Can't you see I'm relaxing?"
"Well, it's Kosonsan. She's here with some people," explained Bunshu.
Ensho scowled, "Can't she wait?"
"She's been waiting for you and came all the way from her land to see you."
"Very well..." sighed Ensho, not sounding happy. "Where is Toshi?"
"She's gone to fetch Knuckle-sama," Bunshu answered.
In Ensho's mansion, Haru was in his personal training room that had been built for him. When he told Ensho that he needed a place to work out, she had hired builders to build the gym to his specifications. This included things like dumbbells, barbells, a punching bag, and a treadmill. Even if the stuff was primitive compared to the things he was used to back home, they got the job done. Right now he was shirtless and running on the treadmill. Sometimes, Ensho would take a peek to watch him, admiring his glistening and toned physique.
"OK, that should do it!" finished Haru as he jumped off the treadmill and grabbed a towel before taking a swig of water from a gourd. He looked at himself in the mirror and flexed his muscles. "Oh yeah! Looking good!" He always made sure to keep himself in the best shape. Letting his physique slip could cost him in his next fight. Ensho sure appreciated it and he didn't mind at all that she sometimes came in when he had his shirt off.
A year ago he had just been a vagabond, lost in a strange world, but it felt more like home since his fighting skills could be put to good use. Now, he was living as a permanent houseguest of the En family and engaged to Ensho. He was also the local Armored War God and the people liked him a lot.
His introspection was interrupted when Ganryo came in and called, "Knuckle-sama, your presence is..." She trailed off as she got a good look at his shirtless body. She developed a full blush on her face and yelped before turning away.
"Oh, Ganryo," Haru responded, the towel hanging around his neck. "What's up?"
"Um...your presence is needed..." Ganryo answered, trembling.
"Oh, OK. Just let me wipe off this sweat and get dressed first and I'll meet you in the throne room," he told her.
"I could help you," Ganryo whispered, licking her lips. A downside to working for Ensho was that there weren't many good men who came through her courts. Mostly they were commoners or mousy officials looking for a handout. A real man like Haru was rare, which left Bunshu and Ganryo a little frustrated since Ensho had made the first claim on him. Maybe she would let them be mistresses...
"What?" Haru blinked. He hadn't heard the retainer save for a muttering.
"Nothing! Just please come to the throne room and I apologize for disturbing you!" She then ran off. Ohhhh, she was going to need a hot bath to take off the tension later!
Ensho, now properly dressed, came into the throne room with her retainers to welcome her guests. With them was also Haru, dressed similarly to the others, but tailored more for a man in orange and with a pair of black pants with brown boots. He looked like he really belonged in the House of En.
"Ah, so it's Kosonsan," Ensho regarded taking her seat with a smile. "What is it you want now?"
"You kept us waiting," Kosonsan frowned. It was one thing to hold a debt over her head, but Ensho was being beyond rude to them.
"Hm, you seem to be acting pretty haughty right now. Have you forgotten you owe a debt to me?" taunted Ensho and Kosonsan grimaced. "Oh, and I see you've brought along friends. Kanu-san, it's you."
"Ensho-dono, we're here on urgent business regarding a sword," Kanu explained.
"Yeah, that's right," Nagata added.
Ryuubi respectfully stepped forward, "Ensho-san, that sword that was given to you for collateral is actually mine. It was stolen from me and I wish to ask you to return it to me."
"Yes, you're Ryuubi-san, correct? I've heard your story," The story of Ryuubi Gentoku being in fact a woman victimized by an identity thief was huge gossip, and such gossip spread fast. It was even faster since everyone first thought Ryuubi Gentoku was the 'Incompetent Commander' of Touka Village in Shoku. "Unfortunately, I can't just return the sword until I'm paid back for all the food I lent to Kosonsan," Ensho replied imperiously. Next to her, Haru frowned and decided to try and intervene. Leaning in close, he began whispering to his self-proclaimed fiancee.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean it is her sword, after all," he whispered. His reasoning was that if Ensho was discovered to be dealing in stolen property, it would deal a big blow to her image. It was one thing if they were general spoils of bandits, but the sword belonged to a descendant of a prominent prince. People tended to frown on that sort of thing.
"Even so, she lost it and I received it as collateral. I cannot simply relinquish it until Kosonsan has paid her debt. It was a lot of food that she borrowed," Ensho said. Haru understood about debts. They needed to be repaid. However, Kosonsan may not be able to pay Ensho back right away.
"Well, then how about we put it up as a prize?" Haru suggested.
"A prize?" Ensho asked. "I'm listening, beloved."
"Well, not much has happened and I know you've been bored. So, how about we have them fight for the sword in a series of contests?"
Ensho smiled, "Now that is a wonderful idea." Ensho stood up and addressed the visitors, "My fiance has suggested that you will be given the right to have the sword returned to you, provided you defeat us in a series of contests." The visiting group huddled together.
"Whaddya think?" Nagata asked.
"It is a good opportunity for us to win Ryuubi-dono's sword," Kanu put in.
"But what contests would she have us participate in?" Ryuubi asked.
"I bet it's an eating contest!" chirped Chouhi.
"Only you would think about food," Chou'un sighed.
"We must do it for Touka-chan's sword," Kosonsan insisted. She may have to still repay Ensho but she was more focused on getting her friend's treasured heirloom back.
"Paipai-chan..." Ryuubi uttered thankfully with a smile.
"Pairen!" she corrected.
"OK, so it's agreed?" Nagata asked and they nodded. They separated and Nagata stepped forward, "OK, we accept the terms. We'll play for the sword."
"Good," Ensho smiled. "Toshi, Iishe, please have everything prepared." She stood up and left the throne room with her retainers, leaving her guests and Haru. Haru then walked over to the group and shook hands with Nagata in greeting.
"Hey, man! It's been a while!" grinned Haru. "Last I heard you somehow became the leader of an army!"
"Well a lot has happened but look at you," Nagata looked at Haru's new outfit. "You're looking good."
"Well, my traveling clothes were getting kinda ragged and Reiha-chan insisted I make myself look like the Armored War God that I am," Haru replied.
"Reiha-chan?" repeated Nagata and Haru caught himself.
"Well, she insisted I call her by her real name in private," Haru pressed his index fingers together.
"Ah, you're an Armored War God too!" Ryuubi gasped.
"Armored War God Knuckle!" Haru saluted, a fist to his forehead, "At your service!" He then apologized, "And sorry about your sword."
"It's alright," Ryuubi smiled. "We'll get it back."
"I don't know about that..." mumbled Haru.
"What?" Nagata asked.
"It's nothing! Anyway, I gotta go prep up! Reiha-chan probably needs my help! Later!" Haru then dashed off.
"Well, I guess there's no turning back now," Nagata said and he put his hand forward. They looked at him in confusion. He explained, "Well, back where I come from, a team puts their hands on top of each other's then let out a battlecry before a big game or battle."
"Ah, I see. A rally cry," Kanu understood as she put her hand over Nagata's, a bit of pink on her cheeks. Chouhi put her hand on next, followed by Chou'un and Komei. Kosonsan and Ryuubi joined them.
"OK, team! For Ryuubi's sword!"
"For Ryuubi's sword!"
The stage was set with both teams on either side, sitting in canopies with ornate benches for them to share. Haru was with the En team, wearing the same armor as them. He really did look every bit of a noble as he was expected to, being an Armored War God and all. He even had special gloves made for him, fingerless with metal studs on the knuckles and plates on the back. The other side was the Touka Village team with Nagata seated between Ryuubi and Kanu.
"Alright, everyone! Today we will have a series of contests between Team En and Team Touka!" the same MC from the En Family Martial Arts Tournament announced. "Both teams will compete in a series of contests that will be decided here!" There was a box next to her with the word 'Event' written on it. "Now, the first match will be..." She reached into the box and pulled out a slip of paper. "Ah, it'll be a quiz!"
"Shuri, this is your event," Nagata encouraged.
"Yeah, you're smart!" agreed Chouhi.
"Agreed. If it's a battle of wits, you are the best," Kanu stated. Komei blushed at their praise and went up to the podiums. Her opponent was Ganryo.
"We have this won!" Chouhi grinned. "Even if Shuri's chest is small, she's super smart!"
"Small chest?" Komei blinked, patting her chest in self-consciousness.
"Ha! Don't think Toshi's IQ level would stay at 34 forever!" Bunshu boasted. "She's read all of the books that Reiha-sama has been giving her and she's raised her IQ up to 36! Both her IQ and her waistline have been on the rise lately."
"You're not helping!" Ganryo yelled, causing Bunshu to wince.
"It's like watching two of the Three Stooges," Haru rubbed his forehead.
"Okay! The competitors have been selected and are ready!" the announcer called out. "Alright, the topic is 'Ensho-sama's Secrets'!"
"Oh, we're screwed," grimaced Nagata.
"Bunshu," Haru frowned, reaching to tug at the verdette's ear, causing the girl to wince. "Did you set up this competition in Reiha-chan's favor?"
"Ow! Ow! Uh...maybe?" Bunshu winced before another twist caused her to grimace. "Ow! Okay! We did! Can you honestly say Reiha-sama isn't going to be inclined to win after a while? She'll lose interest and leave before we know it!"
"True," Haru nodded, letting Bunshu go.
"I am not that bad!" Ensho huffed.
"First question!" the MC called out, "What color is Ensho-sama's underwear today?"
*DING-DING!*
Ganryo hit her bell, announcing her reply, "Black!"
"Correct!"
Haru looked over to Bunshu while Enshou fumed in her chair, "Seriously? What color her panties are?"
"Only Haru-sama should know that!" Ensho growled.
"Well...with how often you strip it's not that hard to know…" Bunshu chuckled lightly.
And so it continued, one of the most one-sided contests of all time. Each question was a deeply personal question about Ensho's habits and history. They were all things that Ganryo was privy to and that Komei wouldn't have the slightest idea about. Ensho on the other hand was more and more embarrassed about the questions, obviously having no idea as to how her retainers knew that much about her. She apparently wasn't part of deciding the trivia event. At the end of the quiz, Ganryo had won by a landslide with 100 points while Komei hadn't gotten one correct answer.
"OK, this match was rigged from the get-go," remarked Nagata unhappily.
"I lost..." sighed Komei sadly as she returned to her friends.
"Well, it's stuff you don't know about. Actually, stuff you wouldn't want to know about," Chou'un remarked.
"We just need to win the other events," Ryuubi encouraged.
"That's right. We lost the first match. That doesn't mean we'll lose the others," agreed Nagata.
Ensho, however, was embarrassed as all her secrets were exposed. To help her deal with it, she had crawled into Haru's lap and just seemed to curl in on herself. One of her newest habits was to search out Haru for 'cuddles' whenever she got upset over something. "How humiliating..."
"Relax, Reiha-chan..." comforted Haru, running his hand through her hair. "At least we won. Although I'm not sure we could call this a real victory." He glared at Bunshu. Now everyone knew Ensho's secrets and they couldn't be called secrets anymore. The people would be laughing at her for a long time. Were questions such as how old she was when she stopped wetting the bed necessary? "Bunshu, when we're done here, we're going to have a private training session. How about 4 hours on my treadmill with no breaks and water while wearing weights?"
"Eeep!" Bunshu paled.
For the next event, a pool filled with water and eels was set in the middle of the stage.
"Now what?" Nagata blanched at the sight of the eels. He really didn't like eels. They were slippery and slimy. They creeped him out just by swimming around like they did. It was just so...weird.
"Now is the Eel Catching Contest! In this event, the one who catches the most eels wins! However, they won't be using their hands but their breasts!" the MC announced. Nagata sputtered with a blush. Their breasts!? Were they serious!? The crowd seemed to be looking forward to it and he grumbled about mobs of perverts.
"Looks like this is your event, Aisha," Chou'un said and Nagata gawked at how shamelessly Chou'un was volunteering Aisha.
"Yeah! Aisha-neechan can catch anything with her boobs!" added Chouhi.
"I didn't agree to this!" she snapped and then she looked to Nagata for help but he looked away. If she participated, that meant exposing herself to everyone, him included. She wasn't ready for that! Not that!
"It's alright, Aisha-san. You should be proud," sniffled Komei.
"Not you too, Shuri..." groaned Kanu.
"Oh? Are you having second thoughts?" Ensho teased, but she didn't look as majestic as she should have when making such a boast. She looked more like a spoiled woman considering she was still sitting in Haru's lap. "Toshi will have no problems competing."
"WHAT?!" Ganryo gaped.
"This is starting to get into the M-rating," Haru groaned.
"Girls, do you really think this is appropriate?" asked Nagata but Ryuubi stood up. "Ryuubi-san?"
"I'll go! I will win and retrieve my sword!" she declared proudly. She threw off her top and Kanu quickly covered Nagata's eyes.
As promised, Ganryo was participating on the En side and had stripped off everything from the waist up. She had her hands covering her breasts but she couldn't cover all of them as the obvious shape was still visible. Ryuubi was beside her, also ready. They leaned over the pool of eels, ready to get started.
Once the gong rang, the two girls started to try and catch eels, pushing their breasts together to grasp them. However, the eels were slippery and everyone got a really good show as the eels writhed about over the girls' bodies. Either they'd wriggle between their breasts in a suggestive way, or while they were in the water the eels would wriggle past sensitive areas of their bodies in the process of escaping.
"Is this fan service or something?" muttered Nagata. He wanted to close his eyes and turn away, he really did, but he was still a guy. There was just something...hypnotic about the girls' positions and how they cried out when the eels would wriggle on them.
"We shouldn't have let all civilians watch," Haru groaned, shielding his eyes. "There are kids here, man…"
The Touka Village Team won the eel-catching contest as Ryuubi managed to catch 13 compared to Ganryo who caught only 11. The following events were just silly...
"Impressions!"
Kanu took a deep breath and said a line in Chouhi's voice, "My chest is flat but my belly sticks out!"
Chouhi complained, "I'd never say that!"
'Not sure about that,' thought Nagata as Chouhi had said some weird things before. Knowing her, she may have said it and never remembered.
Bunshu went up next and did an impression of Ensho, "Ohohohoho! Toshi, have you put on some weight?"
"Tongue-twister!"
Ganryo read the tongue-twister and recited it three times, fast, "She sells seashells by the seashore! She sells seashells by the seashore! She sells seashells by the seashore!"
"Picking beans with chopsticks!"
Ganryo was up against Chouhi, using a pair of chopsticks to pick up beans then transfer them to another plate. She made it look so easy. Chouhi, however, didn't do so well and complained about such a silly contest.
"What's in the box?"
Ryuubi put her hand in the box and recoiled, "Ah! It's wiggling! It's slimy and slippery!"
"Eels again?" mumbled Nagata and he blushed as he remembered the eel-catching contest.
"Arm-wrestling!"
Bunshu went up against Chouhi and while the verdette tried her best, the red-haired mini-powerhouse beat her easily.
"Cosplay!"
Bunshu and Ganryo received applause for their cosplay of magical fighting girls. Then went it came for the Touka Village Team, all the girls were dressed as magical fighting girls as well, except for Chouhi who was in a cute tiger costume.
Nagata had to admit that the girls looked cute, but he noted Komei's discomfort and Kanu's irritation.
"Wish I had a camera," Nagata remarked.
"Staring Contest!"
Bunshu went up against Chou'un and she regretted it immediately when Chou'un showed her the 'nice face' she had.
"Clam-matching!"
Hearing that, Komei blushed as she thought of something indecent.
"It's nothing indecent. It's a nobleman's game when decorated clamshells are split apart and you have to find the two halves that match," Chou'un explained.
"I wasn't thinking anything weird!" Komei denied.
The sun sank low after a day of competition, but not one member of the audience was bored with all of the competitions. With half of them involving the girls doing something sexy though, it was no wonder why so much of the audience remained.
"After so many events, both teams have tied with a score of 150 each! Now, our final match will be...!" the MC paused dramatically, "Our final match will be a duel between both teams' Armored War Gods!"
The crowd gasped in delight, eager to see both of the Armored War Gods who up until that point hadn't taken part in any of the events. Not from lack of interest though. Ensho wanted to keep Haru as a secret weapon while Kanu and Chou'un didn't think Nagata really had to embarrass himself by doing such ridiculous things.
"Good luck, Darling," Ensho said to Haru as he stepped onto the stage.
"You know me. I don't need luck," grinned Haru.
"Gaim-sama, do your best," encouraged Kanu.
"Gotcha, Aisha," Nagata smiled back as he stepped onto the other side of the stage.
"You know, I've been waiting for this," Haru said as he strapped on his SengokuDriver, Lockseed already in hand.
"Well, hopefully, I'll provide you with some entertainment," replied Nagata confidently, doing the same.
"Henshin!" both young men called, unlocking their Lockseeds.
[ORANGE!]
[KURUMI!]
As the portals opened, releasing the Arms, the cheers from the audience grew louder. The two men then clipped their Lockseeds into their SengokuDrivers, locking them in.
[LOCK ON!]
A guitar riff played from Haru's SengokuDriver as Japanese warhorns played from Nagata's. Above them, their Arms lowered out of portals to Helheim and were prepared to drop. The two of them stared each other down before bringing the Cutting Blades down.
[SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]
[KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]
The Arms dropped, forming the Riders' suits before opening up to wrap their bodies in protective armor. As soon as Knuckle was seen in his full glory, the citizens of En cheered his name.
"KNUCKLE-SAMA! KNUCKLE-SAMA! KNUCKLE-SAMA! KNUCKLE-SAMA!"
Knuckle raised his arms at the call of his name as Gaim just sighed.
"Pretty popular, aren't you?" Gaim asked.
"The people do look up to me, I know," agreed Knuckle with a shrug before bumping his Kurumi Bombers together. "Now, enough talk! Let's fight!"
"Yes," Gaim agreed as he drew his Musou Saber. "Arriving on Stage, Kamen Rider Gaim!"
"Kamen Rider Knuckle!" Knuckle charged and threw the first punch, "Sanjou!" He swung but Gaim sidestepped the blow. However, Knuckle anticipated this and swung his other fist to land a strike straight into Gaim's chest, knocking him back painfully. Gaim grunted from the force of the blow. While the Kurumi Lockseed was of a lower rank compared to Gaim's Orange Lockseed, he couldn't deny that it packed impressive punching power.
"Nagata-niichan, kick his butt!" Chouhi cheered.
"Kanu-san, can Gaim-sama win?" Ryuubi asked.
"Don't worry, Ryuubi-dono," Kanu reassured her. "Gaim-sama actually has more tricks up his sleeves."
Gaim charged his Musou Saber's gun and fired as Knuckle charged, only for the Ultimate Fist to block using his giant gauntlets. An uppercut hit Gaim in the chin but he recovered quickly to slash at Knuckle. Knuckle ducked then hit Gaim in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him tumbling.
"Truly, this is my fiance's true power!" laughed Ensho, "Hohohohohoho!"
Gaim grunted as he picked himself up. "OK, he's tough. Really tough." He watched as Knuckle pleased the crowd, posing with his arms up and then punching the air. Gaim took advantage of this distraction and switched Lockseeds.
[PINE!]
Replacing the Orange Lockseed with the Pine Lockseed, he sliced it open.
[LOCK ON! SOIYA! PINE ARMS! FUNSAI DESTROY!]
"Huh?" Knuckle noticed as Gaim's armor changed before receiving the Pine Iron in the face. Gaim withdrew the morning star and twirled it on its chain.
"Now this should make it a fair fight!" Gaim charged a Knuckle, making sure to strike with the Pine Iron. It crashed to the floor of the stage as Knuckle dodged. Knuckle then threw his fist at Gaim's head but Gaim quickly turned his body so the attack hit his thick shoulder armor. He felt the impact but the stronger armor absorbed the blow. Pulling the Pine Iron up, he clubbed Knuckle in the chest and then followed up with a kick to Knuckle's stomach, knocking him back and forcing him to his knees.
"Yes! Nagata-niichan!" cheered Chouhi.
"NOOOO!" Ensho wailed as it looked like her betrothed was about to lose.
"It looks like Knuckle-sama is in trouble! He had such a good lead but since Gaim-sama had switched armors, it doesn't look too good for him!" the MC spoke.
"Heh, didn't think I'd have to use this so soon," said Knuckle as he let go of his Knuckle Bombers, letting them drop to the ground as the sheer weight of the weapons crashed into the stage, making craters. He reached to his belt before taking a Lockseed out to show Gaim. It resembled a ripe papaya and from the looks of it was of a high ranking.
"An A-Class Lockseed!?" Gaim gawked.
"Thanks for the bike. It helped me to score some premium gear," Knuckle replied before he clicked it.
[PAPAYA!]
The portal to Helheim opened, releasing the Papaya Arms as it hung above Knuckle before the portal closed. It was orange like his Kurumi Arms, but covered in large metal studs. He quickly replaced his Kurumi Lockseed with the new one, clipping it to his SengokuDriver before slicing it open. The top side of the Lockseed revealed the inside of a papaya, orange outside with a dark center where the seeds rested. The bottom had had a halberd with a papaya slice-shaped blade.
[LOCK ON! PAPAYA ARMS! CHOP AND HACK! NEVER LOOK BACK!]
The Papaya Arms came down and splashed with energy before beginning to open. The narrow top split in half before folding underneath the rounded sides before resting on his shoulders. The front folded in half before resting on his chest, studs across the collar, and lined armor along the chest with more rows of studs. His helmet now sported an orange attachment, but the sides looked like ram horns, styled after the edges of a papaya, but lined with black studs like a papaya's seeds. His eyes turned orange, like the flesh of a papaya fruit. A splash of energy appeared in his hand, forming his new weapon. The new Knuckle in Papaya Arms wielded a massive halberd. Mounted on the shaft was a steel papaya with the stem forming a spearhead. Jutting out from the papaya was a semi-circular blade that was the color of papaya flesh. There was a tassel was tied to the end, orange like his armor. The weapon looked particularly lethal and Gaim gulped a bit at the sight of it in Knuckle's hand. Knuckle was already tough with a Kurumi Lockseed but now he was using the power of a Lockseed at the same rank as Gaim's collection.
"OK, let's do this!" said Knuckle before dashing towards Gaim. Gaim had to perform a dodge-roll as the Papaya Chopper's blade came down to cut him in two. The blade instead crashed into the stage, causing a deep cut into the stone with numerous cracks spreading from it.
"Whoa!" Gaim exclaimed as Knuckle pulled his weapon back. He hefted it on his shoulder as Gaim rose up to his feet.
"Didn't expect this, did you?" Knuckle asked.
"Darling, show him the true might of the En family's Armored War God!" cheered Ensho, "Hohohohohoho!"
"That laugh is annoying," grimaced Gaim.
"Meh, you get used to it," shrugged Knuckle. He then swung, hitting Gaim in the shoulder and knocking him aside. "Sorry, nothing personal."
"I know, which is why I won't regret this!" Gaim stood up and joined the Pine Iron with the Musou Saber.
"Now this is what I like!" grinned Knuckle as he brandished his Papaya Chopper, the edge of the axe blade glinting. "Let's do this!" The two charged at each other and exchanged blows, sparks flying as weapons clashed. Gaim met the strike of the Halberd with the Musou Saber's blade before smashing the Pine Iron into Knuckle's chest. Knuckle endured, digging his heels into the floor before pushing Gaim back with his foot. He then brought the Halberd down but Gaim countered by catching the Halberd's pole with the chain. Gaim struggled as Knuckle continued to push down, forcing Gaim onto one knee. Gaim gritted his teeth.
Kanu couldn't contain herself as she yelled, "GAIM-SAMA, DEFEAT HIM!"
Hearing those words of encouragement strengthened Gaim's resolve. He forced himself up to his feet and pushed back against the Halberd and then he gave Knuckle a headbutt right in the face. The force of the attack caused Knuckle to recoil and gave Gaim some breathing room.
"Haru, sorry, but I have to beat you now," announced Gaim as he took out the Carambola Lockseed.
[CARAMBOLA!]
He replaced the Pine Lockseed with the Carambola Lockseed, locking it in before cutting it open.
[SOIYA! CARAMBOLA ARMS! KIRA KIRA SUPERSTAR!]
"You've got a new Lockseed too!?" Knuckle gawked as he watched the Pine Arms vanish, replaced by the Carambola Arms moments later.
"And now!" Gaim removed the Lockseed and set it in the Musou Saber's Drive Launcher.
[1,10, 100!]
A giant carambola appeared above Gaim and it started to ripen before he swung his blade down.
[CARAMBOLA CHARGE!]
The giant Carambola exploded into juice and then a huge array of Carambola Stars darted straight towards Knuckle. He tried swatting them away with his weapon, but the weight of the Arms and the weapons made him too slow to stop the assault. He was hit multiple times before an explosion sent him flying. Ensho and her retainers ducked out of the way before he crashed into where they sat. The Papaya Lockseed then detached from his SengokuDriver and flew into Gaim's hand.
"Yosha!" Gaim raised his hand with the Papaya Lockseed in it. It was his trophy.
"Amazing! Armored War God Gaim-sama has been able to defeat Armored War God Knuckle-sama!" the MC announced.
"Darling, are you alright?" Ensho asked as she helped Haru sit up.
"That..was..." he started before exclaiming, a large smile on his face, "AWESOME!"
"Huh?" Bunshu, Ganryo, and Ensho let out in confusion. Shouldn't he be upset because of his defeat?
"I did not see that coming!" Haru jogged up to Gaim.
"I got new Lockseeds too," Gaim replied. "Oh, you can have this back." He wanted to return the Papaya Lockseed to Haru who declined.
"Nah, man. You beat me so you earned it," Haru told him. "Not like I can't get more anyway."
"Well…" Gaim frowned. "If you're sure…"
He was cut off when Kanu, Ryuubi, and the others charged for him with hugs and cries of congratulations.
The group of friends met back in Ensho's throne room as night fell. The blonde ruler was pouty as she was faced with the fact that she had lost the competition.
"Okay. We won your game, that means we get the sword right?" asked Nagata.
"Well...about that," Ensho huffed. "You see...I...don't really have the sword anymore."
The reaction was expected.
"WHAT!?"
"Whaddya mean you don't have the sword!?" Nagata demanded to know.
"Well, you see, what happened was..." Bunshu began. "Ensho-sama's cousin Enjutsu sent her retainer Chokun here on business. She had heard about the sword and sent Chokun here hoping to trade for it."
"When it was being held as collateral and wasn't truly hers yet?" asked Komei with a frown.
"That's just how Ensho-sama is," Ganryo sighed, making Ensho growl.
"Anyway," Bunshu continued. "What Chokun offered was supposedly a robe which was extremely beautiful, but it was enchanted so that idiots would never be able to see."
"Wait a second…" Nagata frowned. He had heard this story before…
"Don't tell me," Kanu wilted.
"Yes," Bunshu nodded. "To prevent herself from being perceived as an idiot, Ensho-sama traded the sword for the supposedly enchanted robes. Naturally, when she tried to put it on, we found out that there was nothing in the box." Haru snorted slightly, apparently trying not to laugh. That just made Ensho pout even more.
"Then why did you make us go through all those ridiculous games?" demanded Kosonsan hotly.
"Well, I couldn't admit that I had been duped!" Ensho snapped. "I didn't think that you all would win!" Shaking her head, she sighed, "But I suppose you can't leave empty-handed. The debt you owe me Kosonsan has now been cleared."
"That's not-!" Kosonsan began, but Ryuubi held her shoulder which calmed her down.
"At the very least some good came out of it," said Ryuubi optimistically.
"But your sword..."
"We may not get it today but we know where it is so we'll just have to continue our journey." Ryuubi turned to Ensho, "Ensho-dono, I will travel to Enjutsu's city and speak with her about this issue. Thank you for your assistance."
"I...I see," Ensho nodded. "Well, I'll write a letter explaining the situation. It ought to help. You're welcome to stay the night as well. No doubt competing today made you all hungry and tired."
"Yay! A feast!" Chouhi cheered.
After the feast, Nagata went to speak with Haru in private. After asking a few servants, he found Haru in his personal training room lifting some weights.
"Hey, Haru. Mind if I talked to you?" Nagata asked.
"Oh, sure. Come in," Haru allowed and Nagata entered.
"So, you built a gym," Nagata remarked, looking around.
"I asked Reiha-chan that I needed a place to work out if I ever wanted to stay in tip-top shape. So, she paid some guys to build this place. I even helped to design the equipment," Haru answered. Well, Ensho would want her personal Armored War God and fiance to be at his best so a training room was the least Haru could ask for. It wasn't like she didn't have the money for it.
"Yeah, so anyway...How could you let it happen?" Nagata asked Haru. He was referring to how Ensho could be tricked so easily. However, after getting to know the ruler of Kei, it didn't take much of an imagination.
"I was out taking care of a bandit problem when it happened. I only found out a little later," Haru replied. "You gotta remember that Reiha-chan lets her pride get the better of her."
"I guess she didn't want to admit she was an idiot but by accepting the deal she proved she was an idiot anyway," Nagata grumbled.
"OK, stop calling Reiha-chan an idiot," warned Haru.
"Fine, I'll stop making fun of your future wife," Nagata relented. He looked to see Haru blushing with a smile. "Wait, are you actually going through with this engagement thing?"
"Not at first but Reiha-chan's grown on me. Plus, I like a girl who knows what she wants and sticks to her decisions, bad or good," Haru answered.
"So, you like them stubborn?" Nagata checked.
"Well, I wouldn't call her 'stubborn', but yeah," Haru shrugged. "So, what about you?"
"What about me?" Nagata asked.
"Have you found a special lady yet?" Haru asked. Nagata didn't immediately answer. "Come on, just between the two of us guys."
"...Maybe," mumbled Nagata with a bit of embarrassment on his face. He sighed and confessed, "Look, she and I just want to keep our relationship between the two of us, OK?"
"If I were to guess, it's either Chou'un or Kanu," Haru commented.
Nagata's eyes narrowed, "Stop fishing."
"I can't blame ya. They're both fine," Haru praised. "I just hope you're happy." Nagata blinked. Was he happy? Well, he wasn't unhappy. He also loved Kanu very much so there was that. He really couldn't imagine his life without her by his side. "Look, even if you wanna keep a relationship like this private, it's gonna come out. Your friends, if they're your real friends, will support you."
Nagata wasn't certain but looking back the new friends he had made did support each other on the battlefield. They were also good friends and had each other's backs. If he and Kanu told them, they should be happy for them. Still, Kanu wasn't ready and a bit insecure since she confessed this was the first time she had actually been in love. He was the same. He had crushes. What boy didn't? He actually had a crush on Kanu when they first met. Love, however, was a different issue entirely.
Still, that matter could wait. After this they would be leaving to see Enjutsu to reclaim Ryuubi's sword then go back. Maybe he could ask Iori and Kochu for advice. They were a married couple and already deeply in love.
"I guess you're right," Nagata agreed.
"Well, I haven't been wrong before," Haru grinned. He then asked, "I'm curious, though. I heard that in your village the guy who's supposed to be Ryugen is married."
"How did you hear about that?" Nagata asked.
"News travels fast. I mean you might just be a small village army but you've been gaining a reputation and people talk," Haru replied. "So, is it true?"
"Yeah, it's true," Nagata answered. "He's married." Haru whistled.
"Damn, he works fast," Haru said, sounding impressed. "Wish I could meet him."
"Stop by Touka Village and we'll get together for some drinks," offered Nagata.
"I'll hold you onto that promise," Haru accepted.
That night, as Nagata was getting ready for bed, he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw Kanu. "Aisha?"
"May I come in?" she asked, almost pleading. He opened the door and let her enter. She closed it behind her before she grabbed his collar and pulled him into a deep kiss. It was like she had been starving for his kisses. She broke the kiss, her face flushed, before leaning against him.
"OK, what was that for?" he asked.
"I can't help it. I desired a kiss from you, Nagata-sama," she said. He looked into her eyes. She was normally always the warrior, with a stern expression, and always serious. However, at times like this, she could also be a girl. A beautiful girl. So what if people didn't believe she lived up to her rumored image? He seemed to think so. She was definitely as beautiful as a goddess to him and not just by appearance. Her nature and personality were attractive too.
"Well, here's another," he said before leaning in for another kiss. She sighed and kissed him back. Tomorrow their journey would resume and they would have to pretend in front of their friends again that they weren't so intimate. However, in private moments like this, they could express their love without fear of interruption.
This was their own little secret.
KRC: Looks like the gang still has to continue their quest in search of Ryuubi's sword. Fortunately, they know it's with Enjutsu so it shouldn't be difficult, right?
TFP: And the simple job becomes that much more difficult to complete. Haru seemed to be doing well for himself and advanced things with Ensho over the past year. Still, now more bumps in the road exist for the group of travellers.
Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil
Papaya Arms: Produced by the Papaya Lockseed (L.S.-21), the Papaya Arms is a new A-Rank Lockseed found by Haru in Helheim. As Haru was already able to push the power of the Kurumi Lockseed to its peak, it's not surprising that he was able to utilize the power of the Papaya Lockseed, despite being more of a bare-handed fighter. The Papaya Arms' signature weapon is the Papaya Chopper which has a sharp edge. Despite the power of the Papaya Arms, Haru was still defeated and the Lockseed was claimed by Nagata.