Super Sentai vs Super Sentai
Author's note: And we're back again for another chapter! Just like Yuusuke, another cameo character makes his appearance, and this looks... kinda obvious. Anyway keep reading!
Oh, and just like the second team, today's monster of the chapter has a tendency for an Engrish phrase so you should see the italicized words quite a bit, noting Engrish phrases.
ACT 21: Dynamic Resolution For Death
"Okay, I'll see you next week!"
The day was Friday. Despite fighting really severely against the forces of evil, Miki at this point realized the importance of balance between the two. She had been re-scheduling her time, juggling between school life and fighting evil. This held true for both Youhei and Remi, inbetween college life and teacher life, they had to balance their time. And as of current, Miki was heading to the nearby grocery to decide what's for dinner. 'Let's see… perhaps a beef stew would be nice. And I bet the other guys would enjoy it very much…'
"AAAH! THIEVES!" A scream of help from a woman was heard. Miki realized that someone was in danger. She ran to the location where the scream was heard and saw a middle-aged woman on the ground, screaming for help as she saw several men running off with several bags.
"Are you okay, Miss? !" Miki approached the lady, trying to tend to her.
"I'm fine! But those men… My bag!" The woman begged. Miki needed no more explanation as she ran towards those men and barred their path on the park.
"Stop! Return that bag!" Miki warned as she pointed her finger towards them.
"Hey…" Suddenly one of the men said, "You're beautiful, young girl. Whaddaya say we have a date, right here, right now, hmm?" He approached Miki and suddenly grabbed her hand, "We're gonna have so much fun…"
"Get your hand off me!" Miki yelled and in one move, she flipped the man to the ground. The other men didn't take the action well and they surrounded and attacked her. However, Miki thus far defended herself well.
It didn't take very long for Miki to knock these men out as she eventually grabbed the bag. "You should think twice before attempting stealing like that." She warned the men as she prepared to move… Until she heard something weird, "What's this sound? It's like a slithering chain…"
To her worst prediction, she suddenly felt like her wrists being wrapped by chains, and afterwards, so was her ankles. These chains were pulled, making her drop her bag and her arms spread, disabling her movement. "What…? ! These…" Miki looked around, shocked, and found out that the ones holding the chains were Spotmen. "Deathdark…!" Miki looked at the ground and suddenly found out that the thieves were actually Spotmen in disguise. In a sudden, the chains were pulled further that Miki fell to the ground, her back hitting the ground. "Ah…!"
"A job well done, men!" Suddenly she heard a voice. The same middle-aged woman who was a victim approached her casually as Miki looked really shocked, looking at the woman.
"Miss…! You… wait." She realized what's going on. She should've looked at the woman's face more carefully as the woman walked calmly to her… and grabbed her cloth. Flipping it, she revealed that she was someone really familiar to Miki. "Mazurka! I should've known…"
"That's really naïve of you, Momozono Miki." Mazurka said as she approached Miki and then put her stick to her chin, threatening her, "You really couldn't leave someone in help. Oh I do remember that time, when you fell for Dr. Zazoriya's class act of defecting… That is why you're such an easy prey for this one. Even with an empty bag like that!"
"Maybe… but next time I won't." Miki said defiantly. Having her arms spread like that was a little unsettling thus she tried to bend her elbows, to no avail. "So… did you really think you've won?"
"I think yes." Mazurka said proudly, "You can go ahead and scream for help, even if it won't do you any good as your limbs will be ripped away from your body. Spotmen! Do it…"
The Spotmen holding the chains started pulling the chains as hard as they could. In the same time, Miki had to hold herself together, struggling to keep her limbs in place. "Urrgh…!" She gathered all the strength she could, but she wouldn't call for her friends. This was nothing for her. She could endure this…
However…
"WAIT!"
A familiar voice. Miki felt like she has heard the voice for very long. Suddenly, the Spotmen holding the chains fell to the ground, freeing her. Apparently, they were struck down with shurikens and kunais. Just then, a ninja in black garb jumped to the scene and started attacking the nearby Spotmen that were hiding behind the surroundings, which were trees. "Surrounding a fine lady like this. You were a little too rude, don't you think? !"
"T… thank you?" Miki tried to thank the ninja, but he just put his hand in front of her.
"Formality later, we have an enemy coming!" The ninja replied.
"You! Who do you think you are? !" Mazurka said as she rushed forward and attacked the ninja. Surprisingly, he managed to keep up with Mazurka's attacks, and even landed several hits to her.
"Really, this takes me way back." The ninja said, which shocked Miki. Did that mean that the ninja has had experience similar to them.
"Don't get cocky!" Mazurka got up and continued to attack. However, at one point, she managed to swipe him on the face with her stick, knocking him away. "In the end, you're nothing at all…"
"YAAH!" However, Mazurka was soon greeted with a flying kick by Miki, right on the face, knocking her away. "Are you okay? !" Miki then approached the ninja, but when she saw the ninja's face, she was shocked, "I… I can't believe it! Kuroda? !"
"Kuroda…? ! Kuroda Kanpei? ! So you are here as well!" Mazurka was equally shocked. After all, Kuroda Kanpei was one of the most dangerous adversaries of Deathdark, as Goggle Black, vice-leader of the Goggle Five.
"Huh?" The ninja was dumbfounded hearing that, "Wait a minute…"
At that point, Mazurka started hesitating. It seemed that she was called back. "Very well, I'll let you off this time, Momozono Miki. I will have to report this to the rest." With that, she leapt away, fleeing the scene.
"So… your name is Momozono Miki? That's a beautiful name, Miss." The ninja said as he got up.
"Oh, stop it with your jokes, Kuroda! Don't you remember me? !" Miki insisted, "What about the others? ! Akama? Aoyama? Kijima? How are they?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! First off, I don't know if I look like the same, but I am not this 'Kuroda Kanpei'!" The ninja corrected, which shocked Miki. It seemed like she was mistaking him. The ninja then knelt down politely, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hoshikawa Ryuu."
"… Oh… right. My mistake." Miki said, finally recognizing her mistake. However, on Ryuu's surname itself, she found another curiosity, "Did you say your surname is 'Hoshikawa'? Are you…"
"I'm afraid that time is fleeting. I'll have to leave for now. We shall meet again, Miss Miki!" Ryuu cut off the conversation as he eventually leapt away, leaving Miki alone.
'He's really a dead-ringer for Kuroda, though…'
"Ryuu, you said? !" After she reunited to the rest in Kizuna, Miki explained her encounter with Ryuu. This in particular surprised Gai, "Is his surname…"
"Hoshikawa." Miki said as Gai sighed. Turned out it's not his buddy Tendou Ryuu, "Well, he seems to be a real-life ninja."
"I wonder if it's a long lost cousin of mine or something…" Remi wondered, noting the surname.
"Wait, Miki. Did you say that ninja looked like an ally of yours?" Takeru suddenly asked. He seemed to have discovered something.
"Um, yes. He looked like the Goggle Five's vice leader Kuroda Kanpei." Miki answered, "I wish it could've been him, though…"
"Well, we found someone else. I was just re-reading the History of Super Sentai again recently." Takeru said as he concluded, "That man you meet… Hoshikawa Ryuu… is actually the vice leader of Kagaku Sentai Dynaman… as Dyna Black."
"Dynaman? !" Youhei exclaimed, "Hm… if I recall… that's the team after Goggle Five?"
"Yes, that's right." Sayaka confirmed, "They fought against the Empire of the tailed people… Jashinka Empire."
"So if he's here, does this mean the Jashinka Empire or whatever has returned?" Dai asked. However, all of the sudden, he exclaimed, "Wait. I think I recall that name somewhere… hmm…"
"Surprising. You knew each other?" Takeru asked.
"Somehow that name rings a bell further… even if I haven't seen him in the book." Sayaka added, "Hm… I wonder what that is…"
"I guess we'll find out if we meet him again." Gai added, "I'm already interested to meet him."
"We should still stay on guard. But if my hunch is right…" Takeru said, "Then he wouldn't be far away from any trouble, helping to quell them."
"What did you say? ! Another Goggle Five member here? !" As Mazurka reported, Jarmin was shocked to see another team member of an existing team, "This is quite the news. I wonder if there are also other Turboranger over here…"
"Not only that, it's also the second strongest as well." Mazurka said, "But he seemed to lose his memories and masquerades as a ninja instead. Whatever trickery this is, I won't be fooled…"
"Ha ha. Then you are already fooled." Replying to Mazurka's report was Ahames. It shocked Mazurka to hear Ahames' declaration as she continued, "That was no Goggle Five member. It was another team's member!"
"That's a daring deduction, Ahames." Juzou said, "So who is he actually? I wonder if he's strong…"
"Well, then allow him to introduce. Come forth, Tarus." Ahames said, calling forth someone. Afterwards, a creature, a Space Beast, which took form of a four-horned bull, with steel squares as his body… and on his back are six tails.
"Space Beast Tarus, here!" Tarus said, "I know that person you're talking about. That person is one of the Dynaman… Dyna Black, Hoshikawa Ryuu!"
"So it's a different person… the resemblance is really striking, though…" Mazurka noted, until she noted something, "How is it that you, being a Space Beast, know about Dynaman? ! Weren't your constant enemy the Changeman? !"
"That's because he was a former member of the Jashinka Empire, enemy of the Dynaman." Ahames explained, "I picked him up after apparently Jashinka's Emperor Aton expelled him to space. I modified him in Amazo Star and he became one of my trusted aides."
"I was once a high-ranking member of the Empire and a damn effective one at that!" Tarus started complaining, "How could His Majesty Aton do this to me? ! I once have six tails!"
"Whatever you do, I think Aton sees you as a danger even to him." Jarmin commented, "Ahames… you really got an eye when you pick your subordinate."
"Yeah. And Aton and his empire fell even to the Dynaman." Ahames said, and then looked to Tarus, "You know what to do, Tarus."
"Of course! I'll prove that I can destroy the Dynaman! That'll make me superior than the whole Jashinka Empire!" Tarus boasted, "I'll succeed where they fail!"
"You need to focus, though… The Dynaman isn't your only enemy." In a sudden, Lee Keflen arrived and spoke, "There is also similar people like the Dynaman, called 'Super Sentai'. They are also your target. Don't just be satisfied with the Dynaman's defeat, you must defeat the Super Sentai as well! Remember why I put that inside you… remember your mission…"
"I won't forget that, Great Doctor!" Tarus said as he eventually moved away, going to the real world in order to search for Ryuu for the moment. At the last moment, he waved good bye and said in English manner, though not really a good one, "Good bye!"
'And after Dyna Black… the rest will fall…'
The city also had its prison. Criminals, usually those apprehended without the help of any of the Super Sentai, were held there. However, while some didn't learn their lessons and continue their bad attitude in prison, some did repent and serve their sentence fully. It was one fine day that a prisoner named Sakamoto Takuya, who was imprisoned for a murder case. The man was genuinely grief-stricken and served 10 years in prison. He repented and got over his guilt and swore to become a better man. And on that day, he was to be freed.
"You served your sentence well, Mr. Sakamoto." The police chief said, shaking Takuya's hand, "I hope you re-enter the society as a better man, even better than when you were in prison."
"Thank you, sir." Takuya smiled, "I am reborn here. I'll start again from scratch." With that, he left. A kind smile was planted in his face as he walked away from the prison, he was ready to start his life anew…
And that would happen if Tarus did not suddenly leap in front of him and blocked his path. "Wha? ! Who are you? !" Takuya was scared as he dropped down.
"So you just got out of prison, huh? !" Tarus exclaimed, "I bet you're there for a crime."
"N-no! I've changed! I'm not…" Takuya begged, but Tarus instead held him on the shoulders. His horn started to generate purple lightning and struck Takuya. "AAAHHH!"
"Now relive your past and know that it was the only way!" Tarus yelled as he eventually dropped Takuya to the ground. When the man rose up, his past seemed to caught up to him and his mind was violated really hard that he thought that the only way to live his life was through murder. Tarus grinned looking at that. "Hahaha. So crazy. So cool…"
He ran up to the police station and approached the police chief that let him go. "Ah, good day, Mr. Sakamoto! Is there anything we can do for…"
"DIEE!" Takuya screamed as he raised a knife and tried to rush to the police chief, trying to stab him with it. The police chief dropped to the ground, dodging.
"Mr. Sakamoto! Wha… what happened to you? !" The police chief said in shock as he was crawling backwards, trying to avoid Takuya. Until eventually…
"HOOOAHH!" A flying kick hit Takuya right on his face. It turned out that it's Ryuu, saving the police chief. Takuya quickly got up and tried attacking him again, but Ryuu was quick enough to dodge and gave a chop to his neck, knocking him unconscious. "Are you okay, sir?"
"I'm fine, thank you. But how could Mr. Sakamoto…" The police chief said in much regret.
"This is unnatural. I've seen him for a short while when he got out of prison and he seemed genuinely pleasant." Ryuu explained, "Perhaps you should have him restrained, at least until I solve this problem. Don't let his redemption end up in vain, sir."
"Yes, I understand." The police chief nodded and eventually took Takuya into the prison where at least he'll be safe for the moment. In a sudden, Tarus appeared approaching the prison.
"Ah, damn it! I was about to have a good scene of murderous rampage!" Tarus lamented, "How dare you ruin the good scene planned by me, the Space Beast Tarus!"
"So you're the one behind this, monster!" Ryuu exclaimed, pointing to Tarus, "Messing with humans like that… unforgivable!" He then put his left hand forward, his palm open, and moved it in half-circle from right to left, before putting his right hand in front and quickly bending his right elbow to him, clenching his right fist and exclaimed, "Dyna Black!"
And thus, Ryuu transformed into his hero alter-ego, Dyna Black of the Kagaku Sentai Dynaman. "Dyna Black… Dynaman…!" Tarus growled angrily, "You may have beaten the Jashinka Empire, but you'll never beat me, Space Beast Tarus!"
"Space Beast? What does it have to do with the Jashinka?" Dyna Black asked.
"I was born a tailed person before I was a Space Beast! But enough talk!" Tarus said as he stomped the ground several times, before running to him and trying to ram him with his 4 horns, "DIE DIE DIE DIE, DYNAMAN!"
However, it didn't take long for Dyna Black to merely step aside, and put his foot on the way, tripping him. "Hey, that's not how you interpret a song for us."
"Why you!" Tarus got back to his feet as he eventually stood. "Eat this! Horn Missile!" His four horns suddenly were launched, heading straight towards Dyna Black.
"Cross Cutter!" Dyna Black then unleashed his weapon, the dual steel boomerangs. Using that, he deflected three of the horns, but ended up unable to deflect the other one. He ends up jumping off the horn while throwing the boomerangs to Tarus, but he managed to dodge it.
"Ha! You missed!" Tarus taunted. However, Dyna Black kept his calm and just put his hand crossed in front of him. He just moved his head aside and he ended up dodging the horn which came back to him like a boomerang.
"You missed. And for once, I'll be generous." Dyna Black said as he pointed to him, "Look behind you." When Tarus did that, he noticed the Cross Cutter coming back to him and hit him as they went back to Dyna Black's hands. "Oh come on, I already told you that it's coming!"
"Shut up! Hidrer Soldiers! Come!" Tarus then summoned the Hidrer soldiers that quickly surrounded. "Feeling scared yet?"
"Whoa, some scary faces they make. They look different than the Tail Soldiers." Dyna Black commented, ready with his Cross Cutter to fight, "Still, that doesn't matter. Bring it!"
"Get him!" Tarus commanded the Hidrer Soldiers to fight against Dyna Black. The lone warrior fought against the horde of soldiers that never seemed to end.
"Grr… but even if without allies, I refuse to give up!" Dyna Black lamented that his fellow Dynamen weren't there with him, but it couldn't be helped. He was thrown into this bizarre world alone, just nearly a year after the fall of Jashinka Empire. Each of the Dynamen, fellow scientists Hokuto Dan, Shima Yousuke, Nango Kousaku and Tachibana Rei, were also progressing their related researches of engines without pollution, artificial gills, new breeds of plants and animal-communicating device. Each promised to launch their projects together as a team, but when the day nearly comes, the earthquake occurred and Ryuu was sucked into the bizarre world, leaving his nearly-completed research of the machine to contact aliens, only nearly complete. And now, he's experiencing these weird battles against an enemy he didn't know… "I cannot allow myself to lose! Not until I…!"
His battle was cut short when several Hidrer Soldiers were shot down, allowing Dyna Black to move a little. When he realized what happened, the Super Sentai has arrived to help him. "That's far enough, Gozma." Shinken Red exclaimed.
"Whoa… I never thought you'd make it here!" Dyna Black said, approaching Shinken Red and the rest.
"Is that you, Ryuu?" Goggle Pink recognized Dyna Black's voice, "Are you okay?"
"Huh? Miki?" Dyna Black was confused. He thought he was reuniting with the Dynaman, but the one in pink suit wasn't exactly what he thought to be, "Wait, if you're the pink one, then…"
"Sorry to break your surprise, but we're not the Dynaman." Shinken Red corrected. Dyna Black stopped a little and noticed Black Condor.
'… Guess he's right. If this is Dynaman, I'd be in that place…' Dyna Black said. However, when his attention went to Change Mermaid and Green Flash, he started recalling something, "You two! Have I seen you somewhere?" 'I do know that there are no white and green in Dynaman. But why do these two look familiar?'
"Huh? Us?" Change Mermaid said, "Well… for some reason you do look familiar…"
"Yeah, it's like we've met for quite some time…" Green Flash thought as well. 'I do know there is no such thing as Black Flash. But this guy…'
"Are you ignoring me? !" Tarus yelled at the team, "So! I guess you must be that Super Sentai!"
"Yeah. So?" Shinken Red said boldly, "Your rampage is coming to an end anyway."
"Super Sentai…!" Memories started to fly back to Dyna Black's head. He did recall… that before arriving here, he arrived in another similar world where he also called himself Super Sentai. And he was thrown to another world where he called himself the same thing and he did remember… along with him were Change Mermaid and Green Flash, although their meeting was somewhat cut short. "I remember! Sayaka! Dai! Don't you remember me? !"
"I think we should save it for later!" Change Mermaid said, looking at the Hidrer Soldiers that ran towards them, "Incoming!"
"Yeah, we can talk about it later! But these guys come first!" Green Flash said while he punched a Hidrer soldier right in the face with his Prism Kaiser.
"OK!" Dyna Black said as he eventually joined in the fight along with the Super Sentai. Memories flew back to him, he did fight like this, alongside warriors similar, but different than the Dynaman.
At one point, he stood back to back along with Black Condor. "Hey, you're Black too!" Dyna Black said, still ready with his Cross Cutter, while Black Condor was ready with his Bringer Sword, "Let's look out for each other, right?"
"Heh! You be careful." Black Condor said cockily, "If you don't fight as hard, I'd claim all the beatdown for myself!" Thus as the Hidrer Soldiers tried attacking them together, they worked together in beating them soldiers up, each counting how many soldiers they felled.
Eventually, only Tarus remained as the Super Sentai approached him. "Persistent fools!" Tarus exclaimed as the team one by one attacked him, but most of the time he deflected their attacks. "Don't you underestimate an ex-Jashinka general!"
Once again, his horns were launched to the sky, this time they're spinning, and were launched to the Super Sentai. At that moment, they were unable to dodge the attack and fell. As he looked at Shinken Red, his bull-ish nature started to pick up as he turned red. "Looking at you makes me mad! DIE DIE DIE DIE!" He ran forward as his horns came back to him. He was preparing to tackle Shinken Red, until…
He suddenly fell down, and realized both his legs were tied on ribbons with the Pink Ribbon and Melody Tact. "No you don't! You just stay here like a good bull!" Five Yellow yelled while gathering all her might to keep Tarus on the ground.
"Only legs will not be enough!" Goggle Pink said as she was trying her best to keep Tarus on the ground.
"In that case, I'll make him stay down!" Black Condor shouted as he leapt to the sky, preparing for a fatal strike, "CONDOR—"
However at that time, Tarus looked above and blasted purple lightning from his horns towards Black Condor. "GAAAHHH!" He screamed in pain and he was struggling to clutch onto his head. "No no no NOOO!"
"Gai!" Blue Turbo interrupted the electrocution by shooting his J-Machine Gun right onto Tarus' face, causing him to be knocked away and the bindings on his legs were let go, while Black Condor was thrown to the ground.
"Curse you…!" Tarus said as he got up. However, he felt as if he was called somewhere. "Hah, you got lucky. Milady said I'm gonna need a break, so I'll see you later!" He then ran off.
"Wait!" Dyna Black called, but he was too late as Tarus was quick in running away. "Damn, he got away."
"No! NOO! This… this can't be…!" Black Condor suddenly yelled in extreme pain, as if being revealed with something rather than physical pain, "I… I…!"
"Gai! Calm down!" Goggle Pink tried to make Black Condor stay quiet, holding his shoulders, "You're okay! We can take care of him later!"
"I… I was…" Black Condor sounded very frantic, his voice shaking as he said the words that would eventually shock the entire team, "… Dead… all along…"
"WHAT? !"
As they returned to Kizuna, Gai eventually collapsed on fatigue and mind that he had to rest in his own room, while Sayaka offered to look after him. In the meantime, the team gathered along with Ryuu in the main briefing room, after their introduction of course.
"I mean, what the hell did he mean 'dead all along'?" Youhei started up with a question, "He was very much alive like now!"
"Didn't that Hades Goat we defeated before say that he's back amongst the living?" Miki recalled the very monster that brought Gai back amongst the living. She was very sure with what the monster said before, but then she was shocked, "Oh no…! Maybe because I kicked the monster in that part, he ends up…!"
"No, that can't be the case. I suppose that Hades Goat either lied, or he didn't know the extent of his power." Takeru tried to conclude, "I guess that just means no one can defy the hand of fate. So Gai was a dead man walking all along."
"No way…" Remi said in disbelief, "I don't believe it… Gai…"
"Is that the extent of your trust as Super Sentai?" Suddenly Ryuu brought up a point, which shocked the rest, "I mean, sure, he could be dead, but does that change that he's been your ally? Or are you saying that if he's a dead man, it changes everything?"
"Ryuu…" Takeru muttered.
"If I were in your place, I'd trust my friend, dead or not." Ryuu insisted, "What matters is the heart, spirit and will."
"Heart and will… ah yeah, that's right!" Dai also added, "Back in the Flash Star, it's what's also taught to me. They didn't just train my body and muscles there. They also taught me that what matters is that we unite our spirits for a common cause. Even if he's dead, Gai also put his will and spirit to end this chaos. We should still believe in him!"
"Hmm, well, when you say that, that is completely correct." Takeru said, "We should believe in Gai. It doesn't matter if he's dead or alive… Yuuki Gai is still Yuuki Gai. Well?" The team finally nodded in agreement hearing Takeru's declaration. Deep down, they trusted Gai enough that no matter his state of living and death, he'll be their friend.
"Ah speaking of that, Ryuu…" Remi suddenly turned towards Ryuu, "Perhaps you mind telling us your past with Dai and Sayaka? I think I heard you saying you share a past or something."
"Ah yeah, that's right!" Youhei added, "Maybe the Dynaman and Changeman and Flashman once met?"
"Youhei." Miki reprimanded, "If such teamwork existed, it should've been on the History of Super Sentai book!"
"Hmm… that… I do remember that I, Sayaka and Dai were fighting alongside two more people. But something happened and we're separated…" Ryuu tried to recall, until he's interrupted.
"One of them is named 'Amamiya Yuusuke', I presume?" Takeru then guessed. He deduced that Yuusuke did tell a similar story.
"Yuusuke? Hmm… Oh!" Ryuu exclaimed, "Yeah, I do remember! That's him all right! Where is he? !"
"Well… he left us after some words." Takeru answered, "I don't know, but he probably had other business…"
"Ah yeah, I do remember that when I arrived here, I wanna make sure I reunite with the rest." Ryuu stated, "Not just Yuusuke, Sayaka, Dai and the other one. I do know there are three more… But I can't recall them all… Though if I keep searching, I'll find them for sure."
"Yeah, well…" Takeru muttered, but the conversation was cut short when the door opened and Sayaka was in front of the door. "Sayaka… what about Gai…" Takeru was about to ask, but then he noticed that something was wrong. Sayaka's face was completely wet. It was as if she's crying a lot. "Sayaka…?"
"I… I don't know what to do anymore…" Sayaka said, her voice becoming heavy as it became obvious that she was extremely saddened, "Gai… he… I can't bear to see him anymore… Not like this…!"
"Sayaka, calm down…" As Sayaka buried her face into her hands, Miki tried to soothe her and returned the favor of hugging her like she did when her mother was killed, "It's okay… please tell us about Gai."
"He… he's been reduced to a wreck who seemed to have no will of living anymore…" Muttering such words were getting too hard for Sayaka that she ended up sobbing on Miki's hug, "Where… where is the Yuuki Gai that was a daring man that we used to know before…? Just before, he was all courageous and dandy, having fun with that 'date'. But now… Oh… Poor Gai…!"
"Must've been that lightning from the horn!" Youhei concluded as the last he remembered before Gai freaking out was being hit with Tarus' electric horns, "It must've hit some of his mind. But to cause this kind of breakdown…! Damn it! That Tarus… next time we meet, I'm going to make him pay for this!"
"There must be a connection between him being 'dead'…" Remi noticed, "We gotta find out about this. Takeru, I'm going to see Gai myself."
As she said that, she left and headed to Gai's room. Without a choice, the team followed, including Sayaka.
They were just about at the door's path, but they heard a loud slap coming from inside. "What the hell do you think you're doing? !" They heard Remi yelling from the inside. As they opened the door, they saw Gai sitting down on his bed and Remi was standing in front of him scolding him, "This isn't like you, Gai! You're the one to tell me that I was never a replacement in the team! You brought my confidence back! Now you're just going to sulk off like this? !" When they noticed, there were two slap marks on his cheek, which means that beforehand Sayaka has already slapped him.
"I… My new life… or whatever it is… all a lie…" Gai didn't even restore himself from his trance, and continued to lifelessly say things up.
"Lie? What are you saying, Gai?" Dai suddenly asked up, "Come on, tell us! What did that Tarus did to you? !"
"I… I was revealed with the truth…" Gai slowly said, "That Hades Goat… he never did restore me to life… I was dead all along…! Up until now, I felt happy that I was given a chance to live and fight for another day… but it's all a lie…!"
"Gai… you…!" Youhei was riled up as he eventually approached Gai and pulled him on the collar, "You may think that's a lie, but we never think it's a lie! You were able to get me out of that 'sissy pussy' mode, and now you enter that state? ! Get a hold of yourself, man! You can do it!"
"That's right, Gai!" Miki added, "You gave me the resolve back then to eventually fight and save my mother! I know she eventually was killed, but if it wasn't for you, she would've died as a monster! Please… don't dwindle into this…"
"It's no use… I… I just can't feel confident after this…" Gai still sulked, not taking the revelation of his death well. "I…" But at that time, Takeru got in front of him as Youhei stepped back. Takeru then punched Gai on the face.
"This is pathetic, Gai." Takeru added, "So you're just a liar in the end. You told me about not to mope about the past. To not shoulder every blames in my shoulder and let you and everyone share them… Was that all a lie? !"
"I wasn't really lying, but after all that I knew…" Gai said weakly, holding his head in sorrow, "Just… what am I fighting for? If I am dead all along…"
"Being dead doesn't have anything to do with what you're fighting for!" Dai also gave his piece, "Just think! Why did you defend Earth from Vyram? ! Isn't that why you fight? ! Even if your body died, your spirit never would! So that is more the reason for you to continue to fight!"
"My spirit…" Gai muttered weakly. He seemed to notice that everyone was mad at him, but he felt completely crushed. He, the one who scolded the lot of them, was now the scolded.
While everyone was scolding, the alarm rang further, and the team realized that Tarus was on the loose again. "Tch… let's go."
"Takeru, but what about Gai?" Sayaka, now already wiping her tears, reminded.
"Leave him be. If he continues to mope like this, he's not worthy of fighting by our side, only becoming a burden." Takeru brushed off, but he did say one last thing to Gai, "Gai… your choice. Restore your resolve or mope here and be pathetic all the time. I don't care if you're dead or alive… you are still Yuuki Gai, Black Condor of Choujin Sentai Jetman. A Super Sentai Warrior… our ally. Think of what the other Jetman will say if they see you like this…" He finished as he said to the rest. "Let's go."
He was about to leave, but noticed that something was off, "Ryuu, wasn't it? Coming?" Indeed, Ryuu wasn't even moving from his place, just watching as the team tried to depart while Gai was still slumping.
"No, you go ahead. I have other things to do." Ryuu said, "Don't worry, I'll catch up." The team eventually agreed and left the room, leaving Ryuu along with Gai.
Minutes passed in an awkward silence, until someone opened his mouth. "Hey… you're also a Black warrior… right?" Gai asked, catching Ryuu's attention.
"Yeah, so?" Ryuu said back.
"Take my place… fight with them…" Gai requested, "I… I can't fight with them anymore."
"Could you please stop with this nonsense? !" Ryuu said harshly, "You look really pathetic this way! So you're going to stay like this? ! Maybe that Takeru would let you be… but I…" At that point, Ryuu forcefully grabbed Gai's arm and suddenly dragged him off, "Come with me!"
"W… where are you taking me…?" Gai asked, but Ryuu did not even bother to explain. He just walked on… towards the teleporter room.
The town was in chaos. Thanks to Tarus' electricity, many people's minds were ruined, as they were revealed with the truth of their not-so-clean pasts, flawed humans they were. And unlike Gai whose process of electrocution was cut short with Youhei's interruption, they were brainwashed to live like how their past decreed, an ex-thief becoming a thief for real, and so on.
"Hahaha! What a sight indeed!" Tarus said, looking at his handiwork, "Now they would never escape from their inescapable path! This should be a good practice. I wonder what terrible past will the Super Sentai have… Hahahaha…"
Shortly after, a Hidrer soldier arrived and told Tarus about an incoming enemy. As he looked above, he saw Takeru and the rest, excluding Gai and Ryuu. "That's far enough… Gozma." Takeru declared.
"Super Sentai! Good timing! I've got a game for you…" Tarus declared, "I wonder if any of you got some horrific past? What do you say if you relive those moments again?"
"The only moment that will happen is your demise." Takeru said as he prepared his Shodo Phone, followed by the rest. "Let's go."
"Ippitsu Soujou!"
"Blue Turbo!"
"Goggle Pink!"
"Change Mermaid!"
"Five Yellow!"
"Prism Flash! Shut Goggle!"
"Go forth!" As Shinken Red commanded, the Super Sentai moved forward as they began fighting the hordes of Hidrer soldiers. However, unknown to them, a figure was watching the Super Sentai fighting.
"Keep on fighting, Super Sentai… and soon… fall for the great plan of Great Doctor Lee Keflen…!"
Gai was teleported into a forest. He was left alone. "Okay… what is this? I…" He walked around aimlessly, not knowing where to go. He suddenly heard sounds, and to his surprise, there were kunais and shurikens thrown to him. With just instincts, Gai dodged them. He was surprised on his own. "What…?"
"So you can dodge at all. You still wanna stay in this world, huh." Suddenly, Ryuu's voice was heard and when Gai looked up, he was standing on a tree branch.
"Ryuu? What do you…" Gai was about to speak, but Ryuu instead leapt and delivered a flying kick on Gai's face.
"Don't give me that face! It's making me sick!" Ryuu suddenly scolded as he landed while Gai was rolling on the ground, "So you're the Black Warrior picked by Aka Red? ! You're a disappointment!" Gai was just getting up. However, Ryuu didn't let up and instead lunged to Gai with a punch right on his face. Gai was hit, but Ryuu could feel that his body attempted to dodge. "So, why did you dodge? Wasn't it you who had enough with this existence?" Ryuu beckoned, as if baiting Gai's anger.
"I…" Gai was about to say that his body moved on his own, but Ryuu didn't let up on his attacks and continued to throw his punches and kicks to Gai.
"Your body is roaring to fight! To fight for your friends! For the safety of Earth! To protect the innocents from invaders!" Ryuu continued to scold as he continued the attack, "Yet your spirit is completely in shambles! You can fix that up, but you refuse to! What kind of warrior… no, MAN are you? !"
"I…" At that point, Gai also attempted to block rather than attempting to dodge. Slowly, but surely, even if he didn't realize it, he was rebuilding his spirit again. But at one point, he let his guard down and Ryuu managed to kick him on the chest, causing him to fall.
"All you do right now is just disappointing your friends! If this is how you handle your existence, then you're really dead! You could try to dodge me and block my attacks, but you keep deluding yourself that you're worthless when you're dead!" Ryuu continued, "If that's how it is, fine. I will do as you say and take your place… while you could just wait and rot here until your spirit is reduced to an irreversible state, and in the end, you will be just that… a coward who refused to get up when he really could!"
"What…" Gai said, and at that point, he started recalling how he acted and how his friends scolded him. He remembered everything… and realized that all of them are right, including Ryuu's advices. Even if he's dead, he could still fight using this body. Perhaps there would be one day that his body would rot, but until that time comes, he could use his body to fight a short, but meaningful battle to protect Earth… "… did you just say?"
"I said, you're a coward!" Ryuu continued, but at that point, he noticed that something changed in Gai. In a sudden, it was Gai who lunged at Ryuu and threw his punches to him.
"Say that again! I dare you! Nobody calls me a coward!" Gai yelled, his spirit back to normal, "My place in the team belongs to mine alone! I'm not sharing, even for another Sentai warrior!"
Gai then continued to attack Ryuu until eventuallty Ryuu also threw his punch, and in the same time, Gai also punched him on the face. Both of them collapsed to the ground as they stared the sky. "Whew… So… learnt something?" Ryuu suddenly asked.
"Somehow…" Gai noted, looking at the sky, "You guys are right. That Tarus did hit me with something that relived my past with some awful truth. It's so much my mind was damaged. Still, you guys do make a point… doesn't matter if I'm dead or alive. If my body can still fight, I'll supply it with spirit to protect the skies above as much as I can."
"Hahahaha!" Ryuu suddenly laughed as he looked at Gai, "That's the spirit. Now you look like the warrior Aka Red chose!"
"Oh yeah…" Gai said as he rubbed his cheek. He finally noticed that he's been slapped around by his team members, and punched on the face by Takeru and even Ryuu. And was also scolded many times.
"Gai… your choice. Restore your resolve or mope here and be pathetic all the time. I don't care if you're dead or alive… you are still Yuuki Gai, Black Condor of Choujin Sentai Jetman. A Super Sentai Warrior… our ally. Think of what the other Jetman will say if they see you like this…"
'Man… I bet Ryuu and the others would've been slapping their heads in disappointment if they see me like this.' He noticed that those were necessary, "Thanks for the punches. I needed that… Heh heh heh…" At that point, Gai got up, followed by Ryuu, "Well, shouldn't be dilly-dallying like this anymore! Gotta help Takeru and the rest! Coming?"
"Sure thing." Ryuu said, smiling. As the two Black warriors looked at each other, they smiled and gripped hands each other, showing their determination to fight against evil. And the next thing they knew, they're running towards danger again.
'I'm coming back, guys… Black Condor will return, wait for it!'
"Horn Missiles!" Tarus assaulted the Super Sentai all while they fight the Hidrer soldiers. He didn't care that his own soldiers were hit along the way.
"You'd hit your own allies like that? !" Change Mermaid said, a little shocked that this monster would have no regards on his soldiers.
"If they're in the way, they're toast!" The ex-Jashinka monster claimed, "Come at me. I will show you your past… and I will make you revel in it!" At that point, Shinken Red was struck with shock. He was reminded of his past as the shadow warrior of his soon-to-be mother Shiba Kaoru. If Gai could end up in such catatonic, hysteric state, and these people became berserk over the past, he did wonder what it would be if he was to become like that, hysterical over the past…
"Not going to happen. What's past is past…" Shinken Red declared, "And you won't anchor people in pasts they want to forget."
"However, sometimes the past contains a harsh truth!" Tarus declared, "And if you embrace it…"
"You bastard…! So that's what you did to Gai!" Blue Turbo yelled. However, before he could speak, he heard another voice.
"Yeah, so what? !"
Turning around, they saw Gai, accompanied with Ryuu, walking forward.
"Gai!" Change Mermaid exclaimed, and surprised with the confident voice of Gai, "That voice… you're back to normal aren't you?"
"You! Shouldn't you be…!" Tarus said in disbelief.
"Yeah, the past can be embraced. In a way that I come to terms with it!" Gai declared, taking a slow walk along with Ryuu, "You're right. That Hades Goat didn't revive me. He merely put my soul back to my body, but in a way that I am not alive. In other words… I'm a dead man walking. My body will soon rot."
"Hah! In that case, shouldn't you worry about finding your grave?" Tarus beckoned.
"No thank you, there's something else to worry about aside of finding a grave. And that…" As Gai said that, his voice became even more confident, "… is to kick the collective asses of you evil bastards that threaten this world! Death doesn't fear me… So bring it! I'll keep fighting and protecting until my time is up!"
"Gai… now that looks like the Gai I know!" Blue Turbo said, satisfied.
"Welcome back, Gai!" Five Yellow continued, also happy that Gai has recovered.
"Guys… sorry about those displays. Just… forget about it." Gai noted, "I'm ready for action."
"You… how can you…!" Tarus said in disbelief, before he looked at the other one… Ryuu… "You bastard… you're doing something, didn't you? !"
"Just a pep talk. But regardless! Tarus!" Ryuu said, pointing his hand to Tarus, "To make people crazy over the past they were trying to overcome… anchoring them there… you're unforgivable!"
"Hoshikawa Ryuu, we're in your debt." Shinken Red said to Ryuu, "For this once… let's fight side by side."
"Of course, I'd be happy to." Ryuu said as he turned towards Gai, "Let's go, Gai!"
"OK!" Gai said as he prepared to transform…
"Cross Changer!"
"Dyna Black!"
The two eventually transformed and also lined up to the other team as they prepared. "Bunch of losers still won't stand a chance to me!" Tarus boasted.
"Not losers…" Shinken Red said as he prepared himself for declaration.
"Shinken Red! Shiba Takeru."
"Blue Turbo!"
"Goggle Pink!"
"Black Condor!"
"Change Mermaid!"
"Five Yellow!"
"Green Flash!"
"Dyna Black!"
"We are… Super Sentai!"
"Hidrer Soldiers, c'mere!" Tarus called forth, and thus a horde of Hidrer Soldiers arrived, "I don't care how, bar their way!" Thus the soldiers rushed forward, fighting off the Super Sentai, with Dyna Black helping them.
"Hahahaha… now you're distracted…! Horn Missiles!" Once again, Tarus unleashed his horn missiles, aiming towards the Super Sentai and hitting them and the soldiers they're fighting.
"Aah!" Goggle Pink, after being hit, tried to deduce, "It'll be troublesome if we cannot withstand the horns, while these soldiers bar our way!"
"Withstand? Good idea!" Dyna Black suddenly said as he just stood bravely as one horn flew to him from behind.
"Ryuu, watch out!" Green Flash warned, but Dyna Black just stood there, and suddenly flexed his hands downwards as he yelled.
"Battle Tector!"
In a sudden, a strong mechanical armor was summoned and equipped by Dyna Black. When the horn flew to him, the armor was too strong for it to go through, dropping it down powerlessly.
"What? ! No way! My horn!" Tarus said as Dyna Black picked up the fallen horn. In a sudden, his arm grew quite the muscles and in a quick movement, he broke the horn in two.
"That's one down!" Dyna Black said, but it caused the Hidrer Soldiers to get riled up and attacked him, "And you all, out of my way! Black Star Flash!" Brandishing his Cross Cutter, he then sent out light blasts that knocked the Hidrer Soldiers away.
"Grr, lost one horn, but there's still more to come!" Tarus said as he launched even more horns. However, one of them was aimed at Five Yellow.
"Oh yeah? You think he's the only one with armor?" Five Yellow said as she also prepared something, "Five Tector!" Surrounding her with the Five Tector, Five Yellow managed to let the horn hit her and it fell to the ground. Gathering all her might, she stomped at the horn, destroying it. "Now that's the second horn down."
"Damn it!" Tarus said in annoyance, "But I still have more to come…"
"No you won't be." Dyna Black said as he turned towards Five Yellow, "Let's do it!"
"OK!" Five Yellow said and eventually, both ran forward, with their armors still equipped, bashing away any soldiers that got in their way. They then leapt forward, with their fists in front…
"Double Tector Punch!"
Both punched Tarus right on the face, while their other fists hit on the remaining horn, breaking them from his head. "Noo!" Tarus yelled as he backed away, completely wounded. In the meantime, the team finished wiping out the rest of the Hidrer soldiers.
"Very well. I suppose it's time to wrap this up." Shinken Red said as he pulled something out from his pocket… the Super Sentai Ball. "Ryuu, you know how to use this, right?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah, I remember." Dyna Black said as he approached the team, "So you want me in?"
"Yeah… you initiate the passing." Shinken Red said as he handed down the Super Sentai Ball. In the meantime, the team took positions in separate places, as the punch from Five Yellow and Dyna Black stunned Tarus pretty badly.
"Okay! You guys ready? ! Here we go!" Dyna Black said as he threw the ball to Five Yellow, who then grabbed it and threw it to Green Flash, who then punched it to Change Mermaid, who then deflected it with the shield of Change Sword to Goggle Pink, who then swiped it away using Pink Dia Baton to Blue Turbo who used his body to deflect it, used his knee to toss the ball upwards, and using both J-Gun and his Turbo Laser, shot it upwards until Shinken Red leapt up and slashed it down with Shinkenmaru… all leading to Black Condor…
"This is for everything, especially making me into a spineless runt! Smash Bomber!" Black Condor was already ready with his Smash Bomber and shot the Super Sentai Ball in it. With it shot, the Super Sentai Ball became the bullet of Smash Bomber going straight to Tarus with extreme speed…
And suddenly went up, missing him. "Hah! Where are you aiming? !" Tarus taunted. However, Black Condor stayed calm.
"Your butt." As he said that, the Super Sentai Ball made a sharp turn and thrusted through Tarus' butt, especially the tail. The tail was torn of, the ball went through his body as he screamed.
"This brings this chapter to a…" Shinken Red was about to close off the comment, until he noticed something. A strong wind… pulling the team towards Tarus as he exploded. "What? !"
"It's just like before…!" Change Mermaid said, reminded with the last time someone opened a portal to another world, "Where is it taking us now? !"
"You fell for it…" A voice was heard as suddenly Lee Keflen appeared, walking away from a building.
"Lee Keflen? !" Green Flash exclaimed, "What do you mean with this? !" He would try to charge at him, but his body was occupied with keeping himself in place.
"Why the angry face, Green Flash?" Lee Keflen said calmly, "I am giving you what you wanted. The return to your world."
"What? !" Blue Turbo was shocked to hear that. So they could finally go home again… until he realized something, "You bastard! There's still much I gotta do here before I return! Your ass-kicking included!" However, when he looked at Dyna Black, he wasn't even being sucked into Tarus' position, which was now forming a black hole. "Ryuu? ! You're not affected? !"
"Ah… Dynaman. You were an anomaly in my calculation after all." Lee Keflen said, looking at Dyna Black, "So that's why the portal bomb I planted in Tarus did not affect you, I set it to affect the seven members of the Super Sentai after all…"
"Why you…!" Dyna Black growled angrily, "You really haven't changed since our last encounter in that world. Well I shouldn't expect so… But if you are not telling me how to close the portal, I'll make you!" He rushed forward as he brandished his Cross Cutter and tried attacking Lee Keflen. However, Lee Keflen blasted him with lightning from his hand, dropping him down to the ground.
In the meantime, however, the team was eventually unable to resist and as they screamed, they were completely sucked into the portal and it quickly closed down. "Guys!" Dyna Black called.
"Ha ha ha, operation successful." Lee Keflen said triumphantly, "Now… with the Super Sentai out of the way… our reign will begin. Humanity is powerless to defend against us…!"
As he said that, several flying machines, all belonging to the enemy which was previously used in the previous battles, appeared and started raining down bullets and destruction to the surrounding. It was a complete chaos.
"Not if I can't help it…!" Dyna Black said defiantly as he stood, "You'll have to cross over my dead body first! So long as Hoshikawa Ryuu, Dyna Black, stands strong, you won't have any victory!"
"Really… heh…" Lee Keflen said as he snapped his fingers. Both Zolors and Batzler soldiers suddenly appeared in a horde and they all charged to Dyna Black while he fought against the soldiers…
The battle lasts quite long and Dyna Black still stood strong. It was at that time someone else entered the battle with lightning bolts shot down to Dyna Black. This person was none other than Doldora. "Having trouble, Great Doctor?"
"Ah… Professor Doldora." Lee Keflen greeted, "All is well, I suppose."
"You! Who're you? !" Dyna Black declared as he got up.
"I am Zone Empire's Professor Doldora. I've heard of you, Dyna Black." Doldora greeted, "However… I do not wish to be your opponent right now. You should try picking someone on your size."
As Doldora stepped aside, suddenly a figure entered. This figure was clad in pink, definitely a woman and her appearance shocked Dyna Black. "You…!"
Who is this pink-clad warrior who came in front of the Dyna Black and why did she shock him to the core? And what of the Super Sentai, now thrown into possibly the real world where they could resume their life. Will they find a way back to this bizarre world or would they be content to resume their normal lives? And for that matter, will they be together in a certain timeline? Hang in there, Super Sentai!
Super Sentai vs Super Sentai… will continue at Act 22
Author's note: Aand that's the end of the chapter. And yes, the cameo of the chapter is Hoshikawa Ryuu AKA Dyna Black from Dynaman! Yes I did notice that he's played by Junichi Haruta, the actor of Kuroda Kanpei/Goggle Black. And yes I noticed that the Dynaman theme song looked like the singer's singing 'Die die die die Dynaman' (while I know it's more along the line of "Dai Dai Dai Dai Dynaman" AKA "Great Great Great Great Dynaman"). And yes, I did notice that he's fought with Yuusuke and one more person (looks like our other cameo guy, huh? Keep guessing...)
And yeah, that is how I take Gai's death from Gokaiger. He really is dead, but was brought back in a temporary 'life' in which he's like a dead man walking. But he came to terms to it.
But the chapter ends in kind of a cliffhanger as the Super Sentai is thrown into yet another world, this time possibly the real world... and Dyna Black is left alone as the defense of Earth and he faced someone that shocked him... a Pink Warrior? What could be happening?
All will be revealed at the next chapter so stay tuned!
Also, for VincentValentine25, who blocked off PM so I cannot reply... Let me tell you that I am very thankful for your thorough review. I am Indonesian and so English isn't really my first language, so you may see some off sentences and spelling mistakes. Also I don't have anything about writing romances, but I just prefer that I don't push romances when not necessary. Not to say I may include them in the future, but who knows. Sentai is after all more about friendship and camaraderie so I want to capture that spirit. Thank you!