HUNTING CHAPTER PART 1: VAMPIRESS

In the Banabaras' house, Shinichi was watching the evening news with his mother. Rika and Hanyuu had also sat down with them to watch.

"A series of mysterious murders have taken place in Ibaraki with all the victims being drained of blood. Police are baffled as to how the killer could have committed the murders. Could this be a vampire at work?" the anchor reported.

"How horrible," Shiori grimaced. Several people had died, drained completely of their blood. Shinichi knew who was responsible.

"It's Misato," said Shinichi. This had Misato written all over it. The Mosquito Rider had the ability to drain blood out of her victims and was insane enough to actually do it.

"Who?" Shiori asked her son, unfamiliar of the name.

"An old 'friend'. Misato, No. 04 of the NUMBERS," Shinichi explained, "She has the ability to drain blood out of her victims and she is extremely mentally unbalanced."

"So, she's a psychopath," Shiori concluded.

"Yes, and she's being a vampire," Shinichi muttered. "Ibaraki, huh?" Didn't Rena used to live there?

Later, Shinichi was on the phone, talking to Warren, "Hey, Warren, I need to ask you something."

"Go on," Warren prompted.

"You saw the news, right? Those murders in Ibaraki. Well, I think its all No. 04's doing and I'm thinking of going to stop her," Shinichi explained.

"OK, so what's the problem?" Warren asked.

"Should I or shouldn't I tell Rena-chan where I'm going this weekend. I mean Ibaraki doesn't exactly hold very good memories for her."

"Just be honest," Warren advised, "And pray for the best."

"OK…" Shinichi said, nervously.

The next day, as he was walking to school with Rika and Hanyuu after delivering the newspapers, Rika spoke up, "You're planning of going to Ibaraki, aren't you?"

"Of course. Misato is there killing people. I have to stop him," said Shinichi. Since it was autumn, he was wearing a jacket over his school clothes. The jacket was black and had his crest, a gold cicada with the number 13 on it on his back. On his right sleeve was XIII.

"Remember, Shinichi," spoke Hanyuu, "You're not alone anymore."

She was right. He had a team, the NEO-NUMBERS, and had also joined ARMOR. He wasn't alone like in the beginning. He had allies now.

"I know that, but that's not what worries me," said Shinichi. "You know what Ibaraki means to Rena-chan."

Indeed, Rika did. Rena's life had taken a turn for the worst when her family had moved to Ibaraki. First, her mother had an affair with a co-worker and then divorced her father. Following that, Rena succumbed to the Hinamizawa Syndrome and used a baseball bat to break the windows of her school and harm several of her classmates. It was only after she returned to Hinamizawa that the symptoms subsided, but she had to take treatment for awhile.

"If I tell her I have to go to Ibaraki, she might tell me not to go and just send the other NEO-NUMBERS," said Shinichi, "But…"

"You feel responsible," Rika finished.

"Yeah," nodded Shinichi, "If only I had finished her off then…"

"You can't predict the future, Shinichi," Rika argued, "Although your visions give you on insight on many things, the future is the only thing you can't foretell."

Shinichi nodded silently. He then saw Mion, Shion, Keiichi and Rena waiting for them at the bridge near the old watermill. This was their meeting point from where they would walk to school together as a group. He eyed Rena. He hadn't gone to visit her like he always did after his paper route. He had a lot of thinking to do for his plan to work.

It was after school and Shinichi apologized, "Sorry, guys, but I have to go right now."

"Why's that, Shin-chan?" Mion asked.

"Rider business," he answered. They understood immediately. "I have to meet with the others so see ya later!" He walked out of the classroom as Rena watched him go in worry.

"Shin-kun…" Rena whispered.

"But I don't wanna find Misato!" Yokoshima exclaimed, scared. "She's scary!"

"Tough luck, you're going," Shinichi said, "We all are."

"But she's a psycho!"

"What's that got to do with it?" said Hana

"Don't you watch the movies? The psycho always has the advantage!" Yokoshima
yelled.

The NEO-NUMBERS were all meeting in the Irie Clinic. There were no patients for the day so they were able to talk freely in the waiting room.

"Yokoshima, you're forgetting that you have the thickest armor out of all of us so her veins have the least chance of piercing you," Daichi said while rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah," Yokoshima realised while rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Besides something tells me she will go after me first," Shinichi said.

"That's not a bad guess, considering that she always talked about either having sex with you, or killing you, or doing both," said Daichi.

"I so did not need that image," Shinichi blanched. Misato was attractive, but her insanity was a huge turn off for him. Even if she flashed him her panties he would not be affected.

"Tomorrow's Friday," said Shinichi, "So we leave for Ibaraki after I'm done with school."

"What are you going to tell your girlfriend?" Daichi asked.

"The truth," said Shinichi, "I just hope she doesn't try and kill me when I tell her."

"How bad could it be?" asked Michiru.

"With Rena-chan…it varies," answered Shinichi hesitantly as he rubbed his neck.

In the octagonal white room which was in the meta-world sat three people. There was Topper the Infernal Merchant, as usual, sipping tea, with Warren the Balance Guardian in another. The new face was none other than Libra the Zodiac Guardian, whom had come to participate in the game. The witches were not present at the moment but they would appear to see the continuation of this game. Libra had been invited along to watch the events play out while Warren and Topper discussed all the changes which had occurred.

"Very clever," said Topper, "You're trying to give him resources and options."

"He deserves as much because of what he has to do, what he needs to do," argued Warren.

"How do you know he will even use what you've provided?" Topper offered a rebuttal. "You know he's not too happy about following your orders. He's just not used to it."

"He'll learn."

"You sound so sure."

"I am sure, always."

"Well, let's see about that."

Libra looked between them and said, "You both really take this game seriously, don't you?"

"It's not like the Zodiac War," Warren remarked.

"Indeed, but the last one ended so anticlimactically," said Topper. "You forfeited, giving your son an easy win. It wasn't as fun as I would've liked."

"I was just tired of torturing them," said Libra, "Like you are torturing this Shinichi boy."

"I am not torturing him," Topper denied, "But he is providing me entertainment as promised when I granted his wish. He said he would do anything as long as I granted him his wish."

It was Friday, after school. Again Shinichi left early instead of participating in club activities. However, this time, he asked for Rena to come with him to their junkyard.

In the van, which had been damaged by Garoh's sword but repaired by Shinichi's time reversal power, the two sat facing each other.

'Now or never,' thought Shinichi.

"Shin-kun, what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Rena.

'Here it goes,' thought Shinichi before speaking aloud, "Rena-chan, I'm going to Ibaraki."

The scream she let out was deafening.

"Now those are some lungs she's got," admired Topper.

"And can you blame her?" Warren glared.

"Oh, of course not, but it's still fun to watch girls scream."

"Pervert."

"Rena-chan! Rena-chan, calm down!" Shinichi shouted, holding her shoulders, shaking her. "It's okay!"

"No! Don't go! Don't leave the village or else Oyashiro-sama will get you!" Rena was freaking out. Of course she had a good reason to. Her life had fallen apart in Ibaraki.

"Rena-chan, listen to me!" Shinichi yelled, "Nothing bad is going to happen to me in Ibaraki!"

"Ibaraki is bad! Mama's bad! Ibaraki and Mama are bad!" Rena continued to freak out. For Shinichi it was like looking in a mirror. Bad memories could become excruciatingly painful, especially if they were heartbreaking.

Shinichi, in order to shut her up, did what he deemed necessary. He dove forward, capturing her mouth with his and shoving his tongue inside, kissing her frantically. The girl's eyes, which had been wide, began to slowly close as she wrapped her arms around him. They both fell onto the floor of the van, kissing.

"Interesting way to placate a woman," admired Topper.

"Whatever works, I guess," said Libra.

Rena had calmed down and the two were lying down face to face. Shinichi gently caressed her cheek. Despite the blood on his hands, they were still warm and kind. He was not the monster he was led to believe, at least not anymore.

"Are you okay?" Shinichi asked.

"If I said I wasn't, would you kiss me again?" Rena replied.

"I'd kiss you over and over, forever, if it means to take your pain away," he answered sincerely.

"Must you go to Ibaraki?" Rena asked.

"Rena-chan, you know I have to," he said firmly, "No. 04…Misato is there, killing people. People are dying and suffering and all because I was unable to kill her when I had the chance."

"Shin-kun, it wasn't your fault," Rena said. "You were distracted."

"That's still no excuse, Rena-chan," he said, "Not good enough."

"You're still going then?" Rena asked.

"Rena-chan, I know that the place holds bad memories for you, but have faith." He held up his white Magatama and pointed to hers. "We'll be brought back together, no matter what, like our Magatama."

"Oh…Shin-kun." He could be so sweet when he wanted, but sometimes dating a superhero could be so hard. She would always worry about his wellbeing.

"Before, I leave, is there anything I can do for you?" he asked. Her answer was to take his hand and put it on one of her breasts. "Rena-chan?" His eyebrows rose.

"Stay with Rena for a little longer?"

"Now you show up," said Daichi, arms crossed. He and the other NEO-NUMBERS had been waiting for him at the village's bus stop.

"Where were you?" Chiaki asked. Warren had kept his promise and gotten his voice box repaired. No longer would Chiaki need to write whatever he needed to say.

"Sorry, I lost track of time," said Shinichi. He looked a little flushed. "So, is everybody packed?" All the NEO-NUMBERS were packed for their little trip to Ibaraki.

"OK, so now that we're here, how are we getting to Ibaraki? Take a bus?" asked Yokoshima.

"Of course not," said Shinichi, "That would take awhile." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a special train ticket, "I already have our ride arranged for us." A whistling was heard and the NEO-NUMBERS looked to the distance. A multicoloured portal formed before the ChronoLiner shot out of it and stopped in front of them. The door opened and one by one the NEO-NUMBERS entered. The door closed and the train shot ahead into another portal. Their destination: Ibaraki.

Misato licked her lips and licked the blood off her hands. "Delicious…" The man she'd drained lay at her feet, unmoving. "Just show a little skin and they come crawling to you like ants to sugar." She was dressed in a black halter top with a denim miniskirt, fishnet stockings and high heeled boots. She was as sexy as ever and as deadly as ever, using her looks to attract men before killing them by draining them dry of blood.

She'd killed plenty of people, hoping to draw Shinichi's attention to come looking for her. By now the general public should know about her murders. It was only a matter of time until Shinichi showed up to stop her and when he did he would be all hers.

She let out an insane cackle, looking forward to Shinichi's arrival.

Kamen Rider Chrome: That's the start of the arc. So, what do you think so far? I hope I've provided satisfaction. I know Shinichi got it, if you know what I mean…