New Faces in Tomeda. The Senshiis wild chase!
"Ah, good to see you here so early, Cuccinota-san."
"A professional chef must always be ready to open shop, even hours before breakfast." Shishido stated sagely as he greeted the manager of the restaurant he had been temping' at for the last few days. It was a small but thriving business that specialized in Okonomiyaki, as well as other deep fried or battered foods. Shishido was never quite fond of the greasy "Japanese Pizzas" himself but he knew how to make them and even had a few ideas for new "Shishido-style" recipes that he ran by the owner and head chef, who were thrilled to let a legendary and respected chef use their kitchen as his "laboratory" for his usually ground breaking "experiments".
"Well, it's good to know you're as dedicated as the rumors let on. These days, most of the younger chefs don't come in until the morning rush has even started." The manager grumbled as he unlocked the doors and turned the sign to let customers know they were open.
"I believe America has a few phrases about early risers being the most successful." Shishido added good-heartedly as he took off his jacket and headed straight for the employee room so he could change into his smock and apron.
"True enough." The older man concurred as he manned the front desk, unfolding his newspaper while he waited for the morning rush. "Oh my…seems we've had another of those crazy attacks off the coast!"
"Cosa?!" Shishido exclaimed, fully dressed in his uniform and looking to the manager to elaborate. The older man passed the pamphlet with the shocking news article to the clearly concerned chef who read over it quickly. The Headline and summary paragraph read thusly:
Cargo Vessel Besieged by Monstrous Hold-Up!
It seems not even our coasts are safe from the terrors that some have claimed identify themselves as "Phantoms". Yesterday, a cargo vessel was found crewless and having crashed into the docks of its intended destination, though thankfully no lives or cargo were lost. The vessel's crew was later found wading their way toward shore, claiming they abandoned ship when one of the alleged monsters had stowed-away on their ship and threatened the crew using an inhuman display of physical strength to manhandle their cargo. Eye witnesses to the ship's "crash" report that it seemed like it was trying to dock, though amateurishly, resulting in the damage done upon its landing. Witnesses further go on to claim spying a dark figure leave the ship after "docking" and disappear into the shadows of the city alleys. Though the damage was relatively minimal we must ask ourselves: How long do we need to live in fear of these inhuman "Phantoms" attacking us during our daily lives?
"I guess we can't expect those Kamen Riders to be everywhere, even if there are a bunch of them now." The manager said tiredly as he flipped through the rest of his paper.
"Don't dwell on it too much. One of them will definitely get this trouble maker before he causes more trouble." Shishido said confidently, the low rumble of his stomach urging him ever on.
"Well that's good to hope for. But those of us with kids and grandchildren still end up worrying the days away. First all this monster business, now we hear rumors of a pervert running around and targeting young girls."
"A pervert you say?"
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"Yeah, at least that's the rumor going around town anyway."
"Scary. We better go home in packs from now on."
Carter's first class of the morning had just let out and though most of the students were already making their way out to head to their next classes, several still lingered, talking in hushed tones among each other with classmates still in attendance and those coming in.
"I think my friend may have met the guy you're talking about. She said it was a foreign guy who looked like he could have been in college." One of the gathered girls said with a worried expression crossing her face.
"I heard the guy has dark hair and acts like a complete weirdo."
"So we just need to look out for a foreign man in his late teens to early twenties, has dark hair, is kinda weird and would talk to Middle School students."
"I'm certain you're idle gossip can wait till after school, girls. Please make your way to your next class before you're all late." Carter looked up from his work at going over turned in assignments and preparing to accept his next batch of students. At his call, the group of teenage girls turned to stare at him all at once, their gazes analytical and unwavering. "What?" He tilted his head in confusion of their dagger like stares.
"Foreigner." One of them said.
"College age." Another added.
"What are you-" Carter started to say though they ignored him and continued.
"Dark hair."
"Interacts with Middle School Students."
"Weirdo."
"Uncalled for!" Carter said, feigned hurt, until they all pointed at him and called out in sharp, accusing tones.
"PERVERT!"
Anger Tick
"Three page Essay on the Injustice of Profiling assigned to all of you! Due by the end of the week!" Carter shot back, a large anger mark forming on his brow while a deep, indignant redness formed on his cheeks.
"Aw! Pervert-sensei's angry! Run!" One of the girls called as they all dashed out of the classroom, snickering to themselves jovially.
"5 Pages!" Carter reiterated before sighing and collapsing into his chair tiredly.
"Yu-sensei?" Carter looked up to see Sakura and all of her friends looking at him in concern so he flashed them a smile and a wink to show he was just fine.
"If any of you have classes with those students tell them they're off the hook, but they should be more considerate in the future. Not everyone is as thick skinned as me."
Though he was upset and just a little insulted, he wouldn't hold it against those girls for their jokes, even if it was a mean joke. He too had heard about the dubious doings of a figure whose more generalized description did peg him as a suspect so he couldn't really deny the fact some would start to look at him funny due to this matter.
"Hai-sensei!" Rika answered for her friends as they began filing out of the room one by one, only a certain few still lingering, casting questioning gazes to their friend who seemed oddly less energetic today as he lead everyone in their readings.
"Daijobu." He assured his ever considerate Senshii comrades as he got up from his desk and began stretching as if he were warming up. "Long day scheduled and I'm just in a bit of a mental rut because of it. I'll be working at full capacity soon enough."
"Don't work yourself to hard, Yu-sensei." Tomoyo told him, prompting him to give her a thumbs-up in understanding and thanks. As his young friends finally began to file out of the room following their other classmates, Carter returned to his seat and his expression darkened as he slipped a note from his pocket and starred at it with well hidden anger boiling just beneath his steady blue gaze.
Wizard.
We know who you are, where you live and, clearly based on how you find this letter, where you work. We challenge you to a duel, today, after school, near the shrine grounds. Come alone.
And if you fail to meet any of these requirements: we should inform you that we also acquired a list of all of your student's names and addresses. We leave it to your imagination.
Sincerely, the Indomitable Ogre Brothers.
He had been handed the note in a sealed envelope by a fellow teacher, saying it had been found addressed to him in the faculty mail.
His next batch of students were starting to file into class and take their seats so Carter quickly changed his expression to one of cheer as to greet his precious young charges. "Good morning class. Everyone have a pleasant weekend?"
"Hai!"
"Nice! Then I'll just have to pile on the work harder so you'll be all the more excited to leave after the week's end." He snickered mischievously which gradually turned into hearty guffaws at their stunned expression. They all started laughing with him in the end, finally picking up on his poor humor. Though a cheery mood had been set, Carter still gripped his concealed letter of challenge tightly, squeezing it until it was crumbled. He would never allow his students to witness his rage boiling just beneath his skin, nor would he allow anyone to threaten them.
'They want me? Then I'll be ready for them.'
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Later that Day
"Irasshai!" The manager greeted in welcome as more customers made their way into the restaurant. It was well into the afternoon so a new rush had begun as students, newly released from classes, and adults, leaving work, came looking for a snack or place to mingle with friends to unwind the day's cares away. And though the work load was high, the restaurant's kitchen was working at greater capacity than ever, meeting the demands of its customers at near record speeds and efficiency with the efforts of its temporary co. Head Chef.
"Sugei…" Several of the lower ranked cooks watched in awe as the foreign cook worked at lightning speed. One second he was laying out and frying a fresh order for Okonomiyaki, the next he was at another counter: quickly and skillfully covering a recently cooked order with sauce and slipping it onto a plate to be taken out to a customer, and before they even had a chance to blink, the eccentric chef was already working on another order: tossing the dough of an Italian style pizza and sprinkling on toppings all at once without spilling anything. It was like some kind of typhoon blew through the kitchen, but instead causing a mess or any damage it left only perfectly prepared meals in its wake.
"What are you all gawking at?" The actual Head Chef noticed the other cooks were slacking in their own work to watch the spectacle of the new member and had to yell to snap them all from their trances. "Get back to work!" The younger chefs all snapped to attention and scrambled to their own stations, suddenly motivated to work themselves to the bone like never before.
"Not bad." Shishido complimented the older cook for his masterful show of authority. "'A mark of a true Head is how well he can control the parts under him and motivate them towards a goal.' Or so my Father would say." Shishido grinned as he kneaded pizza dough with his flour caked hands and enjoying the familiar sensation to the point that it showed through his expression.
"Not me motivating them." The Head chef muttered as he saw how diligently his juniors were working at completing their customers orders to a perfect T. He knew that it was definitely the masterful skill and clear love of Shishido's art that his lower ranked chefs were responding to. And though he had been the one to snap them back to reality so they would start working again, it was clear who they were trying to emulate. "Darn it, I won't lose in my own kitchen!" The Head Chef proclaimed as he too went at his craft with a fire he hadn't felt since he was a budding cook.
"Shishido. Oi Shishido!" The Manager popped his head into the kitchen and scowled as he had to yell to get the thoroughly engrossed man to look up from his work. "Are you still working at such a pace? Even after skipping your lunch break?" The manager seemed both outraged and worried all at once as he knew the supposedly world famous chef was working himself to the bone while also running on empty. If he didn't stop soon he could collapse and if word got out they let a world famous chef work himself to death in their shop, business would surely plummet.
"Have I?" Shishido asked innocently, seeming to finally notice the time on the clock. "I hadn't noticed." A low but highly audible grumble coming from the Italian chef's stomach caused all the other cooks to stop what they were doing as the paused from shock at hearing such a mighty growl. "Guess I could eat." Shishido chuckled embarrassed as he pat his growling stomach.
"Go. Eat. Take a break. Do whatever you need to so that you don't end up falling dead in front of our customers." The manager sighed and shook his head in disappointment from the sheer irresponsibility.
"Yokai!" Shishido saluted obediently and began washing off his hands in preparation of getting out of his work clothes. 'Sure. If it were only that easy." Shishido touched the center of his abdomen as his stomach let out another urging rumble. A common occurrence for most people but for the man cursed to be the vessel of Chimera…it felt like an all encompassing hole existed in the pit of his stomach that only grew by the hour. Just simply eating regular food did nothing to sate the gaping void in his stomach, though it could help him forget his trouble for a little bit. No, only one thing existed that could satiate the ravenous appetite of Shishido's favorite customer.
'I need to track down another Phantom, pronto.' Shishido thought as he exited the busy establishment, now fully clothed in his streets once again. 'But unless one drops right into my lap it's looking like I'm just going to have to grab a bite to eat like the old man said.' Shishido accepted. "Guess I'll grab some groceries and head back to the haven." Shishido decided, preferring to cook for himself than go looking for a restaurant that could match his incredibly high standards, not to mention immense appetite.
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"Oh?" Shishido had just rounded the corner that would lead him to the entrance of the super market when he noticed a familiar pair exiting the store with bags of groceries in hand. "Yo, kodomo-tachi." Shishido greeted the young couple with a smile.
"Cuccinotta-san!" Sakura called in surprise as Syaoran waved in greeting as well. "Are you here for dinner supplies too?"
"No, just grabbing a few things to whip up a quick snack while I'm on break." He explained, half fibbing as he felt he didn't need to let his new "friends" in on his metabolism issue, knowing they'd only worry. "How about you all? Do you kids often shop for groceries together?" Shishido inquired, looking past the young couple to a pair lingering a bit behind them and oddly trying to keep out of sight by hiding behind an advertisement board behind their clueless friends.
"It's just Syaoran-kun and I here." Sakura explained, confused by his mention of "all". Shishido looked equally confused till he noticed Tomoyo holding a video camera and Meilin sending him pleading looks and gesturing for his silence.
"Umm…that's what I meant." He waved off it, trying his best to pass it off as if he had been mistaken.
"Well, it's my turn to make dinner tonight at my house and I wanted to try making a new recipe I knew my Dad liked." Sakura explained and then flushed from embarrassment as she admitted: "I'm actually the worst cook in my family though. So I asked Syaoran-kun to help me since he's a really good cook."
"I-I'm not that great." The boy stammered as the compliment caused him to flush as well.
"Of course you are!" Sakura insisted as she took his hand to encourage him. "You always do so well in our Home Ec. Classes and you even cook for both yourself and Meilin."
"A-arigato…" The boy muttered under his breath. Based on the just barely audible giggles and fidgeting Shishido could assume this little display was what the sneaking pair were after and he had to chuckle to himself as he too found the innocent romance to be quite pleasant to observe.
"Well, I won't hold you two up them." Shishido smiled to the pair as he stepped out of their path so he could enter the store himself. "Take care. Hope your dinner turns out well."
"Ehm!" Sakura and Syaoran nodded in thanks. "It was nice talking to you Cu-" Sakura was about to reply in departure before the sound of stamping feet could be heard and a loud shout rang out as a tall figure intercepted the departing chef.
"Hold it right there Jerk Wad!"
"J-jerk wad?!" Shishido responded stunned at the forward and highly insulting way the young man before him had approached and cast an accusatory finger at him. The boy was much younger than Shishido, possibly even younger than Carter now that he thought about it, but still older than Sakura and her friends. He had short dark hair he had likely gelled so that it was spiked up. He wore jeans and a red shirt with white sleeves he had pulled up to his forearm. He had large red eyes and an odd fang sticking from one side of his mouth. And most peculiar of all was that he spoke English. Crude, unmistakably rude English, but English that even the still learning teens were able to follow as he continued to shout at Shishido.
"I finally found you, perv." The boy accused as he seemed to take a protective stance between Shishido and the stunned and confused teenagers. "This creep won't bother you anymore." He tried to reassure the pair while switching to a more soothing and kind tone. "Just stay behind big bro."
"Wait. There seems to be some mista-." Shishido tried to explain but was swiftly cut off once more.
"Don't even try to defend yourself old man. Word on the street is: some foreign jerk has been running around making all the school kids uneasy. So I'm here to make a citizen's arrest and make sure your skeezing ass is put behind bars." Though some of what the youth said made absolutely no sense to Sakura and Syaoran, they were able to follow the gist of what the man was saying. He was clearly accusing Shishido of being the foreigner many were calling a pervert for seeking out and talking to young school kids.
"And what evidence do you have that supports such an accusation. I can't be the only weird foreigner in this city." 'In fact I'm talking to one right now.' Shishido thought to himself.
The youth pointed back to Sakura and Syaoran with a victorious grin. "Some High School girls I was chatting with earlier gave me the low down on the rumor about some creepy foreign guy terrorizing their classmates. And who do I happen to find other than you, antagonizing this innocent High School couple. You make me sick!" Sakura and Syaoran looked to each other and then to the man in front of them. Did he think they were High Schoolers?
"Those kids are in Middle School." Shishido corrected him causing the accuser to reel back in disgust.
"You monster!"
"Alright, look kid…" Shishido took a step forward, prepared to defend his honor against such ignorance even if things came to blows, when he finally sensed an all too familiar sensation that he instantly knew was coming from the man before him. 'Oh this is too perfect to be true.'
"What's wrong? Know you can't weasel your way out of this, pervo."
"This guy really likes to hear himself talk." Meilin and Tomoyo finally stepped out of there hiding spot to join their friends and see what the commotion was about.
"Why are you two here?" Syaoran asked, thinking they had gone home already.
"Uh…no reason! Just out for a stroll when we heard the commotion!" Meilin fibbed poorly as Tomoyo attempted to hide her video camera behind her back. "Anyway, isn't there something oddly familiar about this guy?"
"Now that you mention it…" Sakura pondered as she took a long, hard look at the supposed accuser and thought back to what he said. "What did those girls back in class accuse Yu-kun of being?
"Foreigner of about College age." Syaoran recalled, also looking at the loud mouthed man suspiciously.
"Dark hair." Meilin pointed out.
"He mentioned talking to girls he assumed were High Schoolers." Tomoyo added.
"Weirdo…" Sakura had to admit the man was very strange with his very forward, almost nonsensical way of accusing Shishido.
"Hmm? Why are you kids looking at me like that?" The youth asked as all four teenagers starred at him, turned and nodded to each other in agreement and pointed at the man, accusingly.
"Pervert." They all accused in monotones.
"Huh?!" He reeled in shock and confusion as the kids he had been defending suddenly turned on him.
"All the rumors point to you being the pervert." Syaoran explained with his arms crossed and his gaze sharp.
"I don't know if you're trying to throw the heat off yourself by pinning the blame on Cuccinota-san but we know better." Meilin glared while cracking her knuckles.
"But...but…I'm no pervert." The young man mumbled to himself as if he were pondering some dilemma. "I know I'm not. I mean, I like girls and all. And I ask out plenty. Sometimes even High School girls, but I never press on it. I always take the rejection like a man and move on. Sometimes I move on to the girl standing next to the girl I just asked out. But that doesn't make me a pervert. Does it?"
The teens actually felt the need to take a step back from the man who seemed to have withdrawn into himself to ponder some internal debate. "I believe Yu-kun would describe this man as "having a few screws loose."." Tomoyo stated as they all nodded in agreement with her, sweat dropping nervously.
"You can save your epiphany for later." Shishido stated coldly as he stepped up to the youth and held up his lion faced ring. "You and I need to take this elsewhere, Phantom." The Senshiis instantly went on alert, worried that the newly revealed Phantom might cause a scene or transform and cause panic so it could escape in the chaos that would ensue. To their shock, the Phantom's eyes suddenly widened and it rushed forward, grasping Shishido's upturned hand and eyeing the ring on his finger curiously.
"You're a magician?!" He asked suddenly, trying to hold on to Shishido's hand while the man struggled free. "Have you met another magician who uses rings like these, except multicolored?"
"What's it to you?!" Shishido growled as he finally wrenched his hand free.
"You gotta tell me where he is!" The Phantom youth begged desperately, pulling on Shishido's jacket for dear life. "I traveled across the sea to find him!"
"So you're the one who caused that incident with the cargo boat." Shishido growled as he pushed the boy off of him. "And your target is Wizard huh? Then I guess I have all the more reason to eat you here and now."
The youth instantly backed away, a shocked look crossing his face. "Eat me?!"
"Kids, be ready to move if he tries to get away." The youth glanced back and blanched to see three of the kids behind him were arming themselves with objects he could tell radiated with magical power, making it perfectly cleared he was outnumbered four to one.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" He suddenly screamed in terror, causing his five foes to blink in shock and surprise as well as turn many a head of confused onlookers. "I'm not about to be somebody's dinner!" He suddenly leaped up, clear over the heads of the teens and landing several feet behind them, only to immediately take off running down the street, dodging pedestrians and obstacles as he did. "Feet don't fail me now!"
"We've got a runner!" Shishido realized as he too took off down the sidewalk. "Dammit I don't need this on an empty stomach!"
"Should we…follow them?" Meilin asked, having too hard of a time processing the sudden turn of events to be certain of their next course of action.
"Tomoyo-chan take these!" Sakura quickly handed her best friend the groceries she had bought and took off in pursuit of Shishido and the Phantom.
"These too!" Syaoran passed her his share of the groceries and took off after Sakura.
"Agh! I guess we're running!" Meilin griped as she dashed after her cousin's retreating back. Tomoyo watched her friends leave without her and looked down at the double set of grocery bags they handed her.
"Am I supposed to carry these back myself?" Tomoyo inquired to her absent friends as a lonely breeze blew by.
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"This is the place." Carter stated as he cleared the last step leading up to the Tsukimine Shrine. He was instantly aware of two things as he marched toward the famed Shinto Shrine. The first he noticed as he drew near the Tsukimine Shrine and climbed the numerous steps leading up to it. There was a disturbing lack of a civilian presence whether they were Shrine workers or Shrine visitors. He was in fact slightly unnerved by his challengers' choice in meeting as he knew the place had at least a few workers or regular visitors lingering around by the this time of day. To find it so empty…well, he'll just have to question the second thing he was instantly aware of. "How quaint, an assassin with my kind of taste for theatrics." Carter complimented the man proudly standing on the very top of the Tsukinime Shrine's gate.
"How good of you to come, Wizard." The Phantom assassin appeared as a man in his late 30's. He had jet black hair that was styled so that his bangs pointed forward straight and was gelled together like one massive horn as well as a thin goatee and mustache that was equally angular. He wore a dark blue Tangzhuang that extended like a robe to his ankles and possessed a pattern of red streaks that crisscrossed across its length, like trailing blood. The man was smirking down at Wizard, confidently folding his hands into his robes. "I trust you came alone?"
"I'm guessing since you introduced yourselves as the Ogre Brothers that you didn't?"
"My younger brother shall be along shortly, he had a few loose ends to tie up before our bout begins." The man swiftly swayed his head to the side as Carter suddenly drew his Sword-Gun, letting a silver bullet fly that the assassin easily avoided. "Do not be hasty. We do not harm humans meaninglessly. We simply moved them so our battle will be less messy."
"Why?" Carter demanded as he glared angrily. "You can't tell me it has anything to do with some warped honor you follow. You threatened my students, children, to make me come here. And you clearly plan on taking me on together. So why?"
The assassin sighed as he tugged at his goatee impatiently. "Mr. Hughes, we brothers are professionals. To us, this is only business. We do not fail, we are always efficient in whatever we do and we will take any means necessary to complete our assignments. Even threaten children to lure out our target." Carter's glare did not change, nor did he lower his gun.
"Fine then. Then I guess I'll just do the efficient thing as well and take you out before your brother gets here!" Carter quickly hit the switch of his buckle, transforming it into the WizarDriver.
Driver On!
"Henshin!" Carter passed his Flame Dragon Style ring over his driver, summoning a red magic circle that passed over him in flames as fiery dragonic wings sprouted from his back.
Flame…Dragon! Bou-bou! Bou-bou-bou!
The flames dispersed all at once, revealing Carter as Kamen Rider Wizard, clad in his ruby red Flame Dragon armor. Wizard leaped forward, landing on the thin top of the torii gate and faced the Phantom with his now transformed blade pointed in challenge. "Saa, Showtime da."
The Phantom sighed in disappointment as his body began to give off purple smoke. "So impatient. Oh well." A long, curved sword appeared in his hand before he even finished transforming, forcing Wizard to quickly parry a lightning fast flurry of slashes as the wicked blade soared straight for him. "I suppose I have time to play with you before my brother arrives." The purple smoke dissolved as the Phantom chuckled confidently now in his true appearance. His body was a dark blue like his clothes were and was thickly built, almost like armor. Around his waist and going to his knees like a hakama skirt was an orange tiger skin pelt. His face had become more bestial with a pair of fanged canines protruding from his mouth, twin gleaming yellow eyes and a single horn protruding from his scalp. "Try not to waste my time."
"Bastard…" Wizard growled as he rushed forward, slicing his blade horizontally, aiming for the Phantom's mocking yellow eyes. The assassin quickly ducked down, crouching into a split as the blade whizzed over his head and then instantly jumping back with a retaliating slash of his own that caught the Wizard across the chest. Wizard quickly caught his footing as he pressed back in, stabbing and slashing as he tried to force the blue monster to the edge of their tiny stage. The Phantom swayed, ducked and parried masterfully, masterfully avoiding all of the Rider's attacks while remaining perfectly stationary. When Wizard tried a low stab for the Phantoms feet, it quickly countered by lifting its foot up and using its still planted foot to rotate on the ends of its toes and smash Wizard across the face with a swirling round house that threatened to send the mahosukai over the edge if he hadn't caught it with his free hand.
"Pathetic." The Phantom scoffed as Wizard hung from the shrine gate vulnerably. "No wonder you need children to fight by your side. I won't even need my brother to finish you it seems."
"Don't sell me so short." Wizard quipped as he tossed his blade upward so that the Sun's light reflected off its surface blinding and distracting the Phantom long enough for him to haul himself back up with both hands into a handstand and from that position, shoot upward into a flip, grab his sword and come back down in a powerful downward slash that cut straight down the Phantom's torso, sending sparks flying off of it and causing it to fall sideways off the Gate and land painfully on the ground. Wizard landed back on the roof of the gate, twirling his sword cockily over his finger as he called down. "You're not the only one willing to cheat to win."
"So it seems." The Phantom huffed as it gripped its wounded chest. "You're certainly no fool. So it seems we must not hold anything back in taking your head. Am I right, ototo?"
"Ah, ani-ue."
Crash!
The torii gate suddenly began to shake violently as a tremendous crash resounded from its base. "Wh-whoa! Whoa!" The sudden shaking as the wood gate began to crumble caused the magician to lose his footing as he vainly tried to right himself before he fell off. "Ah crap." He uttered in monotone disappointment as he fell backwards off the gate, landing on his back in a pained heap. "Breaking a historical/religious piece of Japanese culture. That's gotta be worth some negative karma points."
"How dare you attack my brother so shamefully." Wizard didn't have time to recover from his fall as he instantly had to roll to the side as a massive fist crashed against the ground where his head had been. The attacker was a towering, bulky, clean shaven man with black hair styled back into twin points like demon horns and wearing a red Chinese vest that was sleeveless to reveal his massive arms and fist that were clearing responsible for breaking off a chunk of the now broken gate's pillar. He appeared to be several years younger than his brother seemed in human form, though his sheer size made it hard to believe he was the little brother. "Ani-ue, are you injured?"
"I'll live." The elder Ogre brother stated as he reverse handed in his blade and placed both hands behind his back. "Allow us to formerly introduce ourselves, mahosukai. I am the Elder Ogre: Blue!" The Blue Ogre Phantom bowed respectfully to the one who succeeded in wounding him.
The younger Phantom smashed his fist into his palm as his body began to give off purple smoke. "And I am the younger Ogre…" The towering man's body became even taller and bulkier, changing into a massive, red skinned version of his sibling though they differed in that he had two horns pointing at different angles on the sides of his head but only one eye in the center of his face. "Red!" The Red Ogre Phantom brandished a pair of spiked clubs as his smaller sibling leaped up to stand on his broad shoulders.
"The Indomitable Ogre Brothers, have arrived!" They chanted proudly as one while Wizard began to pick himself up, retrieving his sword while he slipped on a new ring.
Copy!
Wizard manifested a duplicate of his Sword-Gun as he flourished both out in front of him in preparation of what he knew was to come. "Well this is gonna suck." He sighed as the blue phantom leaped from his sibling's shoulders and dashed toward the Kamen Rider with his sword poised to strike and his brother's thunderous footsteps right behind him.
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Des.D Note: Guess what everyone. We're doing things a little different for this scene. That's right folks we have a good old fashioned chase montage on our hands! All action, no dialougue. And I think it would be only appropriate to have the right music to set this scene. But what oh what to pick? (Pretends to ponder) Ooh! How 'bout something nostalgic?
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(Hit the Music: Catch Me If You Can by Angela Via)
The Phantom youth sprinted with everything his near limitless stamina provided him, knowing the presumably cannibalistic mages were right on his tail. After he had escaped their encirclement he ran and ran until he found himself at an intersection and stopped, jogging in place as he nervously looked to the three roads he could escape to. Unfortunately, he had no grasp for reading Japanese street signs and he knew all this running in place would only give his pursuers time to catch up with him. In the end he just picked one and ran, completely unsure as to where he would end up.
Shishido and three Senshiis had just rounded the corner to reach the intersection to find their prey out of sight having gotten their moments before them. Shishido quickly called for a split up as he volunteered to take the middle road. The three teens nodded in agreement and split off as well, Sakura and Meiling taking the left road and Syaoran taking the right.
The two girls took the path they knew would lead them toward the King Penguin Park, a favorite play ground for many of Tomoeda's youth including Sakura and her friends some years ago. For the Cardcaptor's it was also a place of memories where many of their battles took place. Now, it was the place their eccentric Phantom foe had decided to stop and take a break from running for his life, perfectly content as he swung from the chain swing. Sakura noted that his wide, fanged grin and childish demeanor oddly reminded her of a monkey for some reason. He finally noticed the two girls trying to creep up on him from behind, hoping to catch him as he came down from his arc. He quickly kicked off the ground, sending himself higher into the air. The moment his arc brought him swinging back down, he leaped from his small seat to soar through the air and out of reach from the dangerous mages…or so was his plan if his shirt hadn't caught on the chain.
The youth found himself instantly losing all of his built up momentum as he was tugged back by the chain he was hooked on and then falling back down to Earth, belly flopping comically against the dirt. His Phantom body made the normally painful impact, only mildly painful, though his pride was damaged in ways he didn't care to admit. The two mage girls sweat dropped, unsure how to approach as their target started picking himself up, spitting up dirt that found its way into his mouth. He finally remembered that he was being chased and quickly charged forward, thinking as long his opponents were two young girls he could easily break through before they managed some way to restrain him with magic. He was wrong.
The moment he tried to shove by them, the girl with pig tails quickly knocked him off balance by pushing her foot out in front of his and then catching one of his arms in a hold as he tripped and fell into her. Meilin called out in a mighty battle cry as she judo tossed him end over end, sending him hurtling through the air once more. He had only enough time to cry out in shock before he face planted again, this time against the concrete penguin shaped slide that stood in the center of the playground.
He had recovered from his second hard landing only just in time as he saw the girl with short brown hair summon some type of pink wand to her hands. He didn't know what she was capable of but he wasn't about to find out as he scrambled over the Penguin statue, tumbled down its slide and immediately kicked off running for the playground's exit. He suddenly hopped onto the small barrier between the road and the river below. He heard the girls running up behind him and calling out for him to halt before he leaped off, sailing straight over the river and landing at a roll on the other side. The two girls blanched in shock as he lowered his right eye lid and stuck his tongue out at them childishly before dashing off again, knowing they'd never be able to get across before he lost them again.
The Phantom's treacherous detour found him wandering into the town's amusement park, mystifying him with the sights, sounds, smells and fun to be had around every corner. The youth instantly felt safe in such a place where he could hide among the crowd and have a blast while doing so.
The Phantom youth immediately went to one of the many game booths and grinned expectantly as he noticed a pair of cute teenage girls struggling at a water gun shooting course. He smoothly sidled up to the pair, volunteering to win them the biggest, fluffiest prizes the booth offered. Spurred on by their cheers and doe eyes, the boy instantly paid for a game and then, with skill befitting a true marksman, hit every target dead center, instantly reaching the high score. The youth grinned widely and demanded the largest prize the booth had.
Proud of his victory, the youth offered his spoils to his would-be new admirers, only to find a towering pillar of a man standing beside him and grinning at him almost hungrily with his arms crossed patiently. The boy blanched inaudibly as he slowly handed the confused girls the prize he won for them. He turned slowly, as if he were preparing to run, though he knew the mustachioed man would probably stop him, so he did the only rationale thing he could thing of…grab a squirt gun and shoot his way out!
The ravenous mahosukai sputtered angrily as the spurt of water hit him square in the face, blinding him and giving the Phantom youth the out he needed to escape. He easily slipped through the crowd and made his way back to the park's exit. He immediately slowed to a brisk walk as he slipped through the gate which became a hearty skip in his step as he was certain he would have no worries of further pursuit…which was why he was all the more startled by the sound of rapidly stomping feet and an angry snarl. The youth had to only look back for a second before he was running all over again. The sight of the older man charging for him with a look of pure rage and hunger in his eyes put enough fear in him that he'd probably keep running forever if he had to.
The Phantom and Rider's chase led them back into Main Streets of Tomoeda, specifically the Main Streets leading to the shopping district as the boy noticed that he had passed several stores in the process of running for his life. As he was running, an idea popped into his head that may just save him from becoming magician chow. All he needed was…
The Phantom youth suddenly hooked a right, straight into an open boutique. Shishido cursed as he immediately realized the boy either planned to cause a disturbance or hide from him amongst all the outgoing shoppers, he couldn't imagine what kind of chaos would ensue if he chose the former but he'd be ready for him if the kid tried to slip by him in the crowd, no way was he walking out of this store without the starving mage noticing.
Shishido scanned the faces of each and every outgoing shopper, looking for the face of his prey and growling in frustration and hunger at having yet to spot him. Though he didn't know it at the time, Shishido had allowed the boy to slip by him just moments ago. So focused was he on trying to find the boy sneak out by hiding within a tight crowd, he didn't think he would just walk right by him, albeit dressed very different than how he did when he came in.
The boy sighed in relief as he finally lifted his head to see beneath the brim of the wide brimmed hat he stole off a mannequin, in fact, he owed his entire disguise thanks to those thankfully un-tagged garments. Though he wouldn't exactly call this gaudy style of woman's work clothes anything close to comfortable, in fact the too tight jacket seemed close to ripping on his wider than intended frame, it did the job as he was able to slip by the older man and leave him completely unaware. Now all he had to do was ditch this cross dresser look and he'd be home free. He had just slipped out of sight into a nearby alley way…when he bumped into one of the last people he wanted to meet.
The shorter boy looked up at the cross dressing Phantom wryly, either he was unimpressed by the hastily thrown together disguise or he really didn't think it looked good on the older youth. Either way the Phantom was currently stone faced at having been found again so soon after having just dodged potential death twice within the hour. The younger teen seemed to be the straight forward one of the group as he dispensed with intimidations and sneaky tricks and simply summoned a ceremonial appearing blade to his hand, holding it out in preparation of a fight.
He would get none as it turned out as the Phantom suddenly ripped off the woman's business jacket he wore and tossed at the teen, blinding him as the garment fell over his face. Before he even had time to rip the obscuring cloth off, the Phantom's wide hat was forced onto his head and pushed down until it stuck. The Phantom proceeded to leap frog over the blindly stumbling teen who tried in vain to rip the hat and garment off of his head, giving the Phantom trickster the out he needed to grab a hold of the ladder of an overhanging fire escape and scale the metal ladder and walkways so he could get to the roof.
(Music dies down)
"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura, Meilin and Shishido, having just regrouped and heard the struggle, rounded the corner to find Syaoran finally rip the hat off and tear the expensive jacket in half as he furiously threw its pieces to the ground.
"Where. Did. He. Go." Syaoran demanded, his pride strained about as much as his nerves were.
"So long suckers!" The group finally looked up to see their target wave down at them triumphantly from the roof before ducking out of sight just to call out: "Geronimoooooooooo!"
The youth leaped clear across the gap between the roof tops and as the four slipped out of the alley to follow him they saw he continued further on, jumping from roof to roof until he was out of sight.
"He's gotta run out of roofs eventually!" Meilin pressed. "Let's just follow him until-."
"Arooo!"
The four blinked in shock at the tiny call and followed the sound until all their eyes locked on the tiny form waddling toward them with all of its might. "Golem-chan!?" Sakura instantly held her hand down to the tiny Pla-monster as it leaped to her open palm, calling out desperately and seeming to be trying to tell them something. "What's wrong?" She asked in concern.
"Aroo! Aroo!" The tiny creature pressed, beating its chest frantically and pointing in a certain direction.
"It might be Hughes." Syaoran deduced, taking out his cell phone. "I haven't been able to get a hold of him for this entire time. Something may have happened."
"Is it Yu-kun?" Sakura asked the loyal familiar. "Is he in trouble?" The tiny familiar nodded and leaped from Sakura's hand, pointing toward that particular direction again as it started waddling off, faster than before.
"We better go see." Meilin suggested, to which Sakura and Syaoran agreed as the three instantly sped off in pursuit of the gorilla like familiar. Only Shishido lingered for a few seconds, still looking off in the direction of the Phantom that got away.
"Bah. He was too much trouble anyway." Shishido instantly took off in pursuit of his young friends, knowing they and their reckless Wizard would need him more than he needed to waste time on one troublesome Phantom.
Little did the retreating group know, the Phantom they had been chasing did not in fact get far before stopping to survey the scene and slumped down against the rooftop he had been watching from as his pursuers seemed to be running off toward some other direction and away from him. "Safe!" He gasped in relief. He was about to head over to the edge of the roof and start climbing down, when a particular flash of purple caught his eye, leading his former pursuers by his best observation.
"Is that…Golem?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
'How is this not shameful!?' Wizard thought indignantly as he picked himself up from the ground for what felt like the twelfth time in the last hour, quickly grabbing his weapons and taking a stance as his attackers rushed him once again.
The teamwork and formation of the Ogre Phantoms were a cut above anything the Rider had ever seen or fought against. Their movements, their attacks, their defense, it was all perfectly coordinated and synchronized utilizing the speed and skill of the elder with the raw power and sturdy bulk of the younger. Their strengths overcame the weaknesses of the other, leaving them vulnerable to nothing.
Whenever Wizard attempted to find a break in their formation, to attack one alone, the other would instantly intercept and impede Wizard long enough for the other to move in and strike while he was being held down. Ranged combat did him no good either, the Blue Ogre could easily deflect his bullets with sword slashes so precise the mahousukai had only ever seen Empousa them pull off. And the Red Ogre…
Flame! Shooting Strike! Hi-hi-hi!
"That won't work!" The Red Orge Phantom held his ground in front of his brother as the fiery orbs exploded across his frame. His feet slid against ground as the blast repelled him slightly, but as the smoke cleared and the flames died, Wizard was shocked to find the younger Ogre completely unharmed. Not even consecutive hits from his Flame Shooting finisher were able to so much as the singe the blood red hide of the Phantom.
"You're open!" The Blue Phantom instantly took advantage of Wizard's shock, dashing out from behind his invulnerable wall of a brother and striking the Rider with a flying kick that sent him reeling back and rendered him vulnerable as Blue pressed in further with a flurry of lightning fast slashes that left gashes across Wizard's arms, legs, shoulders and chest; forcing him to fall to a knee, overwhelmed by his multitude of injuries. "Surrender and die with dignity." Blue Ogre commanded as he held his sword to the kneeling Wizard's neck.
"Funny thing about dignity…" Wizard huffed as he slowly raised a hand to his buckle, revealing the ring he secretly slipped on. "It's over rated."
Smell! Please!
"What on Earth…uuuughh!" Blue reeled back in disgust as Wizard's body began to emit a noxious green mist.
"Ani-ue? What is…urg! That stench!" Even Red could smell the horrid stench from his position further back. Both Phantoms were so overwhelmed by the mage's desperate last trick, that they were completely unaware of how his toxic emissions were covering him like a smoke screen that obscured his next move from them.
"That bastard!" Blue roared in fury as he slashed through the cloud of green vapor and was shocked to feel his sword pass through open air. "How?!" As the mist began to clear (But not so much the smell) Blue finally saw the cleanly dug, gaping hole in the dirt, just wide enough to accommodate a human's size to slip through underground. "Ototo-!" Blue's warning came out too late as the ground beneath him began to rumble violently.
Bind!
Chains of stone suddenly shot from the ground, enwrapping the Elder Ogre's frame and holding his arm tight to his sides, limiting his ability enough to keep him from swinging his sword.
"Ani-ue!" Red cried in distress as he rushed to his brother's side. His charge was halted suddenly as the ground before him suddenly exploded upward as Wizard, clad now in his topaz Land Dragon armor, literally burst out of the ground to deliver a jumping uppercut to the Phantom's chin that dazed him long enough for the mage to hit the ground only to Drill his way back down again. "Coward, face me!"
"Try to hit me if you can tubby!" Wizard taunted as he popped up from behind the Phantom to slash it across its hindquarters and bury himself again before Red smashed down on the spot he had popped up from with a mighty swing of his club that caused the ground to tremble from the impact. "You ever play Whack-a-Mole?" Wizard quipped as he waved nonchalantly at the Red brute who was again to slow to hit him before he ducked underground again.
Wizard kept his game going for a bit as he popped up at random positions around the Phantom, taking jabs both physical and verbal before diving back to safety only to pop up elsewhere seconds later. Red was growing more and more frustrated by the insignificant attacks, knowing all he needed was one good blow to finish the Mahousukai off. Which was true, despite his attitude and playful strategy, Wizard's game was meant only to stall. Even alone, the Red Ogre was a formidable foe whose physical power and durability may have even outranked Phoenix's at his worst. Wizard had no way to bring down such a foe alone, so all he could do was stall until either the brute slipped up somehow…or he ran out of mana.
"Ototo!" The Red Ogre Phantom continued to beat the dirt relentlessly, having apparently not heard his brother's call. "OTOTO!" The younger Ogre finally stopped in his mad assault as his brother's bellowing call struck a chord that brought him back to reality. "He's playing with you!" The elder assassin explained, unconcerned by his restraints. "He knows you have the power to finish him, so stop wasting your energy and focus!"
"I understand…sifu" Red suddenly relaxed his stance as his grip on his clubs slackened and his breathing became more controlled. His single, yellow eye became focused and unblinking as wafts of smoke started to filter from his fanged mouth.
"Hey, what are you two talking about? I can't hear too well from down here." Wizard called from underground, nestled safely into the cramped honeycomb of burrows he dug so desperately. 'Ah whatever. Just one more.' Wizard grinned expectantly. The strategy he finally managed to think up was almost complete. All he had to do was complete the circle of tunnels he dug beneath the Ogre Phantom. The systematically disturbed soil, coupled with the big brute's great weight would easily cause the ground beneath him to collapse in on itself, trapping the monster in a makeshift pitfall and hopefully render him helpless. From there, Wizard should be able to land as many hits as needed to bring the overgrown Phantom down.
"Yosh…" Wizard was about to pass his Drill ring over his driver one last time, when he suddenly noticed something billowing around him. "Smoke?" Thick smog was filtering into his burrow from further back in his tunnel. And not just that, he had the distinct feeling that the temperature underground had suddenly spiked. Curious, Wizard peeked down the tunnel the smoke seemed to be coming from, and only then did he see a distant orange glow that was becoming brighter and closer by the second. "Oh."
Rumble…BOOM!
"Bugger!" Wizard instantly drilled his way back to the surface and dived away from the hole he popped up from as a burning rush of flames were right on his heels, billowing out of the ground like a massive geyser of flame. "Bloody Hell!" Wizard gasped thankfully, his magic may have gave him moderate protection against extreme hot and cold, but being cooked in an underground furnace wasn't exactly his idea of a great time. "That was way too close." Wizard had to beat out the fire eating at his coat tails but all in all he seemed to come out of that unharmed. "Fu-!"
Defend!
Before the sigh even escaped the Rider's lips, the Red Ogre Phantom was towering over him, eye burning with murder and flames still licking from his puffing maw. His massive war club sailed around, practically cutting the air with the force behind it. Wizard had only enough time to summon up his magic circle to act as a shield, before it was instantly shattered and the club smashed through into Wizard's chest.
Crack!
"Bluurrrgghhh!" Wizard had no idea if that crack was his armor shattering or his bones, and he didn't have long to think on it as he blacked out the moment the underhand blow knocked him clear across the temple ground and back to the foot of the stairs where he fell like a broken rag doll.
"Magnificent, Ototo." Blue praised his brother as the stone chains holding him fell to dirt around his feet.
Red placed his fist into his palm and bowed respectfully to his elder brother. "Thank you, Sifu."
"Long has it been since you were my pupil." Blue reminded him, bidding him to raise his head. "We are brothers now, equals."
"Ani-ue!" Red nodded in agreement as the two Ogre Phantoms marched as one to admire their work. "Is he dead?" Wizard's clenched fist and slowly rising head answered the question for him.
"A tenacious one, this target. The killing stroke is yours." Blue offered his partner who cracked his fist maliciously as he stood to tower over the crippled mage. Red raised his massive, meaty fist high, poised over the Rider's helmet whose face he could not see but gleefully imagined was twisted in terror at the moment. His fist fell like a hammer, ready to drive Wizard's skull into the ground as if it were a nail.
Connect! Please!
Red's falling fist was suddenly engulfed by a red portal that appeared in its path, confusing him, until a second appeared that released his fist so that it could continue forward, smashing into his unprotected cheek and knocking him off balance as he was hit with the full force of his own might. "Hmhmh-cough! Dumb lug." Wizard chuckled through his pain as he rolled over onto his hands and knees to pick himself up, holding his chest tightly as he clenched his fist in defiance. "As if I'd let myself be killed by a pair of lousy assassins!"
"Yu-kun!" Wizard peered back, shocked to see his friends; led by Golem who called out to him worriedly, racing up the stairs to help him.
"Stay back!" He ordered turning his back on the Phantoms to warn his comrades. "This is my fight!"
"Don't be stupid!" Syaoran shot back at him, summoning his sword.
"We're coming to help you whether you like it or not!" Meilin added, her fist clenched as she dashed up the stairs ahead of the others.
"I've been running non-stop, all day, on an empty stomach!" Shishido explained holding up his lion faced ring. "You owe me this meal!"
"I accepted their terms to fight alone! If I don't-!" Carter was about to explain before he suddenly sensed danger beside him and ducked as Blue's sword sliced over his head.
"Ototo, pull yourself together! We've run out of time, we have to finish him now!" Blue commanded his dazed partner who shook his head to clear his mind, allowing him to finally notice the group rushing up the stairs to confront them.
"This should slow them down!" Red inhaled deeply as wisps of smoke filtered from his jaws. "Bwaaaaahhh!" He suddenly released a gout of flame from his open mouth that raced down the stairs to meet the charging four.
"Watery!"
"Suiryuu Shourai!"
The rush of flames was met by double doses of water projected by Sakura and Syaoran. The twin jets sizzled against flaming wall, halting it but not extinguishing it, completely cutting them off from the rest of the stairs.
"You have been more trouble than you're worth." Blue hissed as he held his curved blade in front of him with his palm touching the back of the sword. "But in order to keep our honor intact, I must now turn you into a charred husk and complete my assignment."
"Never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually starting to miss Phoenix." Wizard joked tiredly as he leveled his sword-gun at the Phantom while still holding his damaged chest protectively. "He didn't try to bore me to death when he said he wanted to kill me, he just said it." Blue Ogre's eyes narrowed furiously at the sight of the half dead man joking at him so arrogantly. He suddenly broke into a flurry of movement, his sword twirling and slicing through the air as sparks of blue electricity began to dance across its surface.
"Die!" Blue slashed his blade forward at an angle, sending an arc of crackling lightning soaring through the air. Wizard flicked the hand of his blade open as he gingerly placed his other hand over its scanner.
Land! Slash Strike! Don-don-don!
With only one arm on his sword, Wizard smashed his blade against the ground, causing the ground to split and quake as golden energy filtered into it and continued lancing through the underground toward the oncoming lightning projectile. The attacks completely missed one another as the lightning arc passed over the running ground attack. Blue suddenly realized what was coming for him as the ground beneath him began to tremble and golden light rose from the cracks at his feet. Wizard quickly crossed his sword in front of him as the lightning blast crashed into him full force, just as the ground beneath Blue imploded underneath him, sending magically formed stalagmites lancing upward into the futilely blocking Phantom and knocking him into the air as the sharp rocks pierced his body. Both fighters collapsed to the ground, using their blades to hold themselves up on their knees.
"Couple more of those…and I actually might be in trouble." Wizard quipped cockily as Blue growled at him hatefully.
"Ani-ue!" Content with his remaining flames acting as a formidable wall to keep the Senshiis back, Red rushed to his brother's side, helping him to stand as they both shared a weary glance at the mahosukai who had also forced himself to rise. "How can you still stand? You've sustained far more damage than any man should have been able to live through." Red demanded to the heavily breathing Rider.
"How can I not keep standing up knowing those I care about will be defenseless should I fall?." Wizard took a deep breath as he released his protective hold on his chest and took up his sword in both hands. "I know so long as I have a smidge of power left I have enough to win with. So c'mon then!" He challenged. "All my remaining will to fight versus your precious pride. Let's see which crumbles first!"
"No! Yu-kun!" Sakura called out in fear as the Ogre's got into formation once more, readying themselves for one final clash. "We have to get to him!"
"Damn these updrafts!" Shishido cursed; having transformed into Beast while Sakura and Syaoran were fighting back the fire, the gilded Rider was currently attempting to soar over the wall of fire with his Falco mantle. But every time he drew close, the flames would act like they had a mind of their own and rise up to meet him, channeling a mighty draft of heat that instantly pushed him back. "I can't get through."
"Damn, they never planned on letting us help even if we came with him. They've thought this through." Syaoran cursed as he and Sakura continued to push at the wall of fire that stubbornly refused to be extinguished.
"We have to do something!" Meilin urged, feeling the most helpless of all of them as she could neither fly nor fight the flames. "Yu-sensei's going to be killed!"
"Move it!" The group all started in shock at the sudden call, looking down the staircase to spy a familiar figure rushing towards them.
"It's him!" Beast snarled as the troublesome Phantom began to give off smoke, a sign that he was taking his true form, although this mist was oddly different as it was gold instead of the usual purple. He didn't dwell on it long as he dived down toward the meddler, drawing his Dice Saber from his buckle. "You're mine now!"
"Out of my way!" The transforming youth growled as he leaped up to meet Beast, but instead of engaging him, he lithely flipped over Beast's initiating stab and used Beast's back as a bring board and dived head long into the flames, rotating into a golden swirl as he passed through the flames unabated. "I'm coming!"
"Yu-kun look out!" Sakura warned as carter finally heard the disturbance and turned to stare in shock at the golden figure coming right for him.
"Carter, get down!" The mage swiftly ducked down to a knee as a shaft of extending golden light passed over his head, lancing straight for the two Phantoms and colliding dead on with the Red Ogre, knocking him back farther and faster than something as large as him should have been.
"Who-?!" Blue's question went unanswered as he too was sent flying back by a swift kick to the face.
The gathered Senshii's starred in shock at the interloper who had suddenly struck down his two believed comrades. He stood tall as he twirled his weapon, a long golden cudgel that was taller than he was, and planted it in the ground at his side as he took an almost protective stance between the Phantoms and Wizard.
"You alright, bud?" The seemingly benevolent Phantom asked the Kamen Rider in concern.
"Ah!" Wizard sighed and chuckled in relief. "Thanks man, I didn't have much left in me."
"That's…" Meilin started but found her throat to dry to let the unthinkable words escape. The Phantom resembled a bipedal ape adorned in flashy armor that seemed to express a form of higher status. He wore a black cuirass over a yellow tunic with loose sleeves as well as loose red harem pants that stopped at his ankles and allowed his loping tail to stick through. On his shoulders were bull head pauldrons that were used to clasp a flowing red cape to his armor. On his head he wore a Chinese style crown that was adorned with twin, fiery red feathers that were so long they could not have belonged to any normal bird. The ape Phantom's golden-brown fur had an otherworldly luster to it yet also had an almost metallic gleam to it as if it were not fur at all. The Phantom seemed to grin at them cheekily as it put a hand to its monkey-like ear expectantly.
"Sun…Wukong!" Syaoran finished for his cousin, truly shocked beyond his belief to see a legend from his homeland stand before him.
"The Monkey King?!" Beast cried in shock and disbelief.
"Oh!" Sakura, the slowest of the group on the uptake, finally cried out in realization. "Son Goku!" She clapped in awe and joy to see that a real folk hero had come to save her friend.
"Hahaha!" The Phantom monkey howled in joy. "My namesake precedes me it seems! That's right!" The humanoid-monkey struck a pose by standing on one foot, twirling his staff over his head in one hand and holding the other beside his face with the fingers splayed out like a kabuki player would.
"I am the Phantom incarnation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven…" ("Wheeze!") "The mischievous trickster and dashing hero…" (Cough!") "Who braves the most ravenous flames to save a friend…" (Hack!) "Phantom Hannuman, has arrived!" The heroic Phantom declared, all the while Wizard had been wheezing and coughing through his introduction. "Do you mind!?"
"Oh I'm so sorry my collapsing lung is spoiling your big moment!"
"Dio caro…let me!" Beast grumbled, still wishing someone would explain something to him, as he slipped on a new ring.
Dolphi! Go, Do-do-do-do-Dolphi!
Beast swapped out his scarlet mantle for an ocean blue one with the head of dolphin covering his right shoulder. Sparkling blue magic dust seemed to glimmer off the mantle's surface which Beast seemed to gather up and then hurl through the air so it would rain down upon the wounded Wizard. Wizard's body began to glow blue for a few moments as Wizard's hunched over form gradually began to straighten up and his wheezing ceased. "My injuries…they're gone?"
"Consider it my special service for the day!" Shishido called, though slightly more perturbed for having to use more mana during this incredibly long day.
"You fighting fit?" Hannuman asked Wizard who pulled himself back up to his feet, stretching his limbs and joints as he swapped out his rings.
"Getting there. Can you handle Penn and Teller while I deal with this fire hazard?"
Water…Dragon! Jabajaba Bashan, Zabun Zabun!
Wizard's body was instantly cloaked in a watery veil as liquid dragon wings appeared from his back before being absorbed back into his now sapphire blue armor. Hannuman whistled, impressed as the two bumped wrist before they parted ways to address their designated issues. "Kikiki! I'll have it done in no time at all." The monkey Phantom boasted as he arrogantly stepped up to the recovered Ogre brothers, twirling his cudgel like staff in one hand before slipping it into the pit of his arm and taking a stance with his fingers flexing in challenge.
"Bastard!" Blue snarled as he brandished his blade in accusation. "Does your lady mean to betray us before we have even finished our task?"
Hannuman pretended to clean out his ear as he tilted his head in feigned confusion. "Don't know who you think I work for but I'm with the geek in the mask back there."
"A Phantom who sides with a mahousukai? Ridiculous!" Red snapped as he charged forward, his fuming breath coming out as flames and his clubs raised to pummel Hannuman who made no moves as he seemed content just picking his ear. Red roared in fury as he brought both his clubs around to squash the annoying monkey's head between them.
"To answer your question…" Hannuman's staff suddenly shrunk to the length of a four foot bar as he leveled it horizontal between the oncoming spiked heads. The golden bar caught both clubs as they were coming around, stopping them in their arc and not budging an inch despite Red's massive strength behind the crushing force. "I was his bud way before I became a Phantom. You see, unlike you chumps, I'm still human where it counts." Hannuman explained self assuredly as he tapped the left side of his chest.
"Die!" Blue had moved on his partner's charge, flanking their foe and moving to attack from behind while Hannuman warded off Red's attack. The monkey kaijin only snickered as his staff suddenly shot out as much as it extended, flinging Red's arms back as his weapons were pushed aside. Hannuman began to spin on the ends of his toes like a while his still extending cudgel sliced through the air like a propeller and caught both Phantoms in its wake, bringing them around and around as the immense strength of the Phantom sent them spin through the air.
The two Phantom's were suddenly flung back to the ground, their trip through the air over, as Hannuman shrunk his cudgel back down to normal size, balancing it on the tip of his finger as he grinned at them mockingly. "Tired already boys?"
"Ototo, the situation has changed." Blue hissed frustratedly as pulled out a large black stone in his free hand. "We'll need to retreat for now and use the item that butler gave us."
"But what of our honor, Ani-ue?" Red was shocked by his brother and teacher's desire for retreat. "The Kamen Rider still lives! You've always taught me-!" Blue placed a hand on his partner's shoulder to silence him.
"I know what I've always said. But the situation has changed, nay, it's gone completely out of control." He admitted begrudgingly. "The failure was mine for underestimating him and the allies he keeps. I will not waste our lives over my honor."
"Sifuu, but…" Red looked to his teacher's silent expression and he could see well the anger and humiliation he held within that stoic mask. To see his brother, his dear benefactor so…his hatred for the mahousukai was doubled. He would make them pay for this, but another time. "I understand."
"We still fighting?" Hannuman called, starting to grow bored with this lack of action. The Blue Ogre suddenly tossed a large, molten looking rock the size of Hannuman's head toward him, which the monkey caught and starred at curiously. "The heck's this?" The large stone suddenly split open, releasing purple smoke into the air. "Ho geez!" Hannuman dropped the rock and flipped backwards, holding his staff defensively as he prepared for whatever came from the purple mist. "Bring it on! I can handle…whatever…you throw…at…me?" Hannuman's bravado started to stifle as a towering figure began to rise from the smoke. "Ok that's big." He sweat dropped nervously as the larger than normal Titan looked down at him, green eyes glaring hatefully. It raised a massive foot intending to squash the smaller Phantom flat, when a volley of lightning and exploding energy bolts collided with the Titan's head, distracting it and causing its foot to fall short, inches from the Monkey King Phantom who whimpered gratefully.
"Triple…Rider Kick!" Three figures suddenly shot into the air, rising up to attack the still stumbling Titan with a trio of flying kicks that collided with its chest, knocking it off balance and threatening to make it fall back. Wizard, Beast and Meilin each landed beside the still slightly awed Hannuman who was shocked at how easily they had knocked the monstrous Ghoul for a loop, as well as how they managed to escape that fire that had been thwarting them thus far. He curiously looked back to where the fire was and instantly his jaw dropped. Where the fire once raged a garden of icy spires and towers took its place, with its middle section having been smashed through where the group must have came through. 'Did Carter do that?' Hannuman thought as he took a better look at the sparkling new form his friend took, noticing it to be a higher representation of his water based abilities.
"When I said I missed Phoenix I didn't mean this much!" Wizard grumbled, hoping he'd never have to see another Phoenix Titan again. "I cannot believe they made a Titan this ugly twice."
"I don't care how it looks, it's my lunch!" Beast cried in joy as the specially made Titan found its footing once more and roared in anger at its attackers as its body lined itself with fire. "And it's pre-cooked too!"
"Do you guys fight stuff like this all the time?" Hannuman inquired as he recovered enough to retake his stance.
"Welcome to Tomoeda mate." Wizard explained with a light hearted chuckle as he clapped his apparent friend on the shoulder. "It's never boring and it always finds new ways to up the ante." Beast gave a thrilled holler as he rushed forward, drawing his Dice Saber to dig into his long anticipated meal. "And it's filled to the brim with the most colorful of characters." He laughed again as he, the girl with long black pigtails; who eyed him curiously as she passed by, and the teen couple from before; who were now armed with their long silver broad sword and pink star tipped wand respectfully, rushed to join the fray alongside their hungry friend.
Hannuman seemed to mull over his friend's words carefully as he lagged behind the group slightly. His expression mirrored the pang of worry he felt as he saw his friend limp/jog forward, still apparently in pain despite his injuries being magically repaired. But still, he resisted the urges he felt so inclined to follow through on; his thoughts were better left to the battle at hand.
"Gao!" Beast roared as his Dice Saber sliced through the Titan's heel, deciding to make sure it didn't get up the next time he knocked it down. His efforts were met with a burst of fire shooting out of the crack forcing him to cover his face and back away.
"Breaking parts of its body only makes more fire escape out!" Syaoran explained as he let loose a stream of water from his fuda to douse the flaming hand that came swiping at him. Meilin instantly followed up by knocking the limb away with a mighty round house kick as it came close to her cousin.
"We'll have to bring it down all at once." Wizard surmised as he attempted to draw its attention away from his friends by pelting its stone body with ineffective shots from his silver bullet loaded gun. His plan succeeded as the perpetually enraged Titan bellowed at him, releasing a plume of flame toward him.
Hannuman suddenly jumped in front of the mahousukai and the oncoming fire, twirling his cudgel like a propeller once more as the flames hit the golden barrier, dispersing it to all sides around it. "A plan would be nice!" He requested as he struggled to keep the flames at bay. "How do you bring these things down usually?"
"Well, this isn't the usual variety of this type of enemy we face." Carter explained and by his friend's slumping shoulders not the answer he should've given. "We actually had help to bring one of these down last time…Golem!" Carter just remember who it had been that led his comrades here to assist him. The purple Pla-Monster instantly waddled to its master's side, having heard his call and could only imagine what he had in mind. "Up for some action, partner?" The tiny familiar beat its chest in affirmation. "Yosh…"
"The hell are you thinking?!" Hannuman cried in disbelief as Wizard pitched the tiny familiar straight at the towering Phoenix Titan.
"Sakura-chan!"
"Ehm! Big!" Sakura's magic circle appeared in Golem's flight path, covering its body in golden energy as it careened right for the Titan who saw the minuscule missile and raised a hand to swat it out of the air. Hannuman covered his face in fear, unable to witness what he believed to be inevitable. Golem had just flipped through the air to position his body into a flying side kick position as his glowing form began to swell in size. Hannuman had just noticed the massive shadow fall over them when he looked up again, and instantly dropped his jaw straight to the floor comically.
"ARRROOOOO!" The giant Golem bellowed as its improvised 'Rider Kick' collided head on with the equally sized Titan's torso and forcing it to the ground as they slid backwards…heading straight for the shrine!
"Agh! Bad idea! Bad idea!" Wizard panicked, realizing far too late that the area they stood on was far too small for the "giant monster battle" he had in mind. Sakura instinctively dispelled the magic she placed on Golem, causing him to shrink back down to his tiny size and fall to the ground where Meilin; being the most agile, was able to catch him. That only left the Titan who was still flying back from the force of the full on kick it had taken and did not look to be slowing down as it would crash into the shrine any second.
Buffa! Go, B-b-b-b-Buffa!
"C'mon lady luck, we need a stampede." Beast prayed as he jumped between the crashing Titan and the sacred building, slotting his Buffa ring into the indention of his Dice Saber and sending the dice rolling.
Six! Buffa, Saber Strike!
"Now that's more like it!" Beast roared in triumph as he slashed forward, opening several magic octagrams in the air before him and releasing a small herd of golden energy bulls that charged as one to the careening Titan. The bulls crashed horns first into the giant body, locking their legs in place as they slowly forced it to a stop. Beast stood defiant as the mountain of a Ghoul came close to bull dozing straight over him, and then finally screeched to a halt, the bulls calling in triumph as Beast clapped his hands together in anticipation. "Ittadakimasu!" He cried as he slapped one energy bull on the hind quarters with the side of his saber, prompting it and the rest of the group to charge as one, digging straight into the stone beast with their horns and exploding, taking the Phoenix Titan with them.
Gulp!
"Haaa, finally!" Beast sighed in relief as his Buckle took in the Titan's mana at long last. After a day of near starvation, not to mention a hefty amount of physical activity and stress, he had finally been able to sink his teeth into a good meal.
"That was…off the chain awesome!" Hannuman cried out in amazement as he jumped onto Beast's back, rambling rapidly in a pitched tone, just like the monkey he seemed to be based on. "You kids, I had you all wrong! With all that crazy magic, with the BOOOOSH! And the HIYAAA! Totally put's Carter to shame when I first met him." Hannuman explained, adding in his own little sound affects for good measure as he acted them out spastically, leaving the limited English taught students more and more confused as he prattled on."And then Golem turning giant? Sickest thing I've ever seen! Golem didn't really seem to think so as it fumed in Meilin's grasp, upset its big moment had been cut short. "And you…" He addressed Beast who was growing more irritated for having this monkey sitting on his shoulders. "You were just stone cold bad-ass, not even flinching even though you could have been crushed. Are you some kind of…legendary super pro mage like Carter's teachers?"
"Know I'm a professional chef." Shishido explained as he dismissed his armor, showing his face so he could let the oblivious Monkey know how much he didn't like him touching him.
"Really…that's a lame back story."
"That's it!"
Sakura, Syaoran and Meilin all starred sweat dropping as they found themselves viewing a familiar scene as Shishido attempted to catch the fleeing Phantom who was trying desperately to stay just out of range of the angry man's swiping hands. "He's still causing trouble I see." Carter chuckled to himself as he too detransformed. The three teens looked at their teacher curiously, wondering why he seemed so calm about all this as if he'd seen it before. "He's my best friend, what can you do?" Carter revealed just as Hannuman dashed behind him to take cover as he changed back into the spiky haired youth from before.
"Three second time out!" He called as he hid behind Carter for safety as a huffing Shishido marched on the pair, pointing to Carter for answers.
"Alright Hughes, start explaining!" Shishido demanded, glaring at the mischievous youth as he stuck his tongue at him childishly. "Is this Phantom actually your friend? And can I still eat him?"
Carter rubbed his temple, sighing as he could only imagine the kind of trouble his companion must have caused to be treated this way. "Yes he is my friend, and no, you can't eat him."
"Hawha!"
Clunk!
A swift conk on the head by Carter stifled the arrogant laugh the Phantom youth had belted out. "Act you age for crying out loud." Carter hissed, shaking his head in disappointment. "And apologize for whatever trouble you caused the nice man and my students."
"Oh!" Hannuman said in realization as he looked to the three teens in a new light. "So these are your students?! I've been asking every school kid I could find if they were your students or not. But no one ever gave me a straight answer or I couldn't really understand them, cus let's face it my Japanese sucks." He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck as he admitted the last part.
"Wait a tick…you've been running around talking to school kids?" Carter inquired as pieces of a puzzle started to unfortunately come together in his mind.
"As it turns out, your amigo here is the guy who's been harassing all the students in town. Gained himself a reputation as a pervert as it turns out." Shishido explained, a triumphant smirk spreading across his face.
"My intentions were pure! I am not now nor have I ever been a perv!" Hannuman stated assuredly, a hand over his heart and the other hand held up in promise. Carter's suddenly took a tight grip on his friend's shoulder as his blue eyes became steely and demanding of a straight answer, a truthful answer. "Ok so I may have tried to ask out the few who could actually speak English. Nothing too intimate, just an invite to have some coffee, maybe a movie date after if we seemed compatible. Oh that reminds me: Carter, do you know of any good date mov-?"
Wham!
"Alright, introduction time. Kids, Shishido, meet my bestest mate in the whole bloody world and all around pain in the arse, Sage West." Carter provided the introduction for his friend as he was currently out cold on the ground, with a lump the size of a peach sprouting from his head.
"Umo…nice to meet you, West-san." Sakura bowed politely, to which Sage responded with a pitiful thumbs-up.
"Is he gonna be alright?" Meilin inquired, finding the size of the swollen zone to be a bit disturbing.
"He'll be fine. His head's actually as thick as a rock believe it or not. Aw, bugger!" Carter hissed as he shook his bruised fist to get some feeling back into it. "Believe me he's faking most of it."
"Yeah see if I save you again-ow!" Sage recovered quickly enough though he held his swollen noggin soothingly. He flinched as Carter reached out his hand to him once more, blinking in confusion until he saw the appreciative smile on the older looking man's face.
"Ah, I do owe you for that. Thanks again mate."
"Heh! Well who else is gonna have your back if not me?" The two clasped hands and smiled to one another, their gesture of brotherhood that remained unchanged and ever apparent for all to see.
Shishido sighed in defeat, knowing the situation was far more complicated than he realized. "Fine, I give up. If he's your friend then I guess eating him would leave a bad taste in my mouth." Shishido admitted as he turned to walk away. "I suppose it was another Phantom that caused that incident at the docks anyway."
"No that was me." Sage admitted causing the gathered teens and departing Shishido to tense up and stare at the youth in shock. "I stowed away on a cargo boat to get here and when they found me I tried to prove I could work for my passage. I guess I went overboard and they all freaked out and jumped ship." He rubbed his head in embarrassment with his free hand as he grinned sheepishly. "Unfortunately my nautical skills are as bad as my foreign language skills, so I ended up crashing the boat before I could get it to stop. My bad." Sage suddenly realized that Carter's grip on his hand had greatly tightened and that his best friend's eyes were now being covered by his bangs, a sign he recognized to mean he was upset.
"You need to run right now…YOU STUPID MONKEY!"
"Aw crap, not again!"
(Reset the disc! Catch Me if You Can resumes.)
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Aw, another chapter and a new batch of headaches for our favorite Kamen Rider. I've been waiting to do this some time now and though it didn't start out the same as how I had originally planned it, I'm still happy with the results. I can't think of a better way to kick off this Mini-atus than the introduction of a new, highly unique, comrade. And yes it should be a mini hiatus because as soon as I'm done with three updates for my Dark Souls fic I'll be right back here pumping out the mediocre work you all love so much.
And on that note, I really hate to ask, but I would very much appreciate some reviews or pms just to know that some of you have an opinion on my work. Whether to address some small part you found interesting or to ridicule me for my ridiculous storytelling, I'd just be happy to know someone put up the effort to tell me what they think.
So until next time my cherished readers.
I do not own Kamen Rider, Cardcaptor Sakura or any other media referenced in this story.
Ciao!
