Super Sentai vs Super Sentai
Author's note: This chapter... may get a little too dark. I just wanna say... brace yourself.
ACT 26: The End of Super Sentai
It was a normal day in the world where Dai was off getting some vegetables for Kizuna. As he walked, the sun ray illuminated the land. "So hot…" It wasn't as bad as that one time the Anti-Flash Phenomenon was making him unable to withstand this kind of sun ray, but it was still a very hot day as Dai walked, one hand carrying the bag full of vegetables, and one hand covering his head. 'In times like this, perhaps a break would be beneficial…'
However, at that moment, he saw an old woman trying to pass the street. She seemed to be having trouble. "Excuse me, ma'am!" Dai called and approached her, "Would you like some help in crossing the street?"
"Thank you, boy… you're so kind…" The old woman replied, smiling. Dai took the old woman's hand and helped her cross the street which was pretty crowded at that time. They crossed safely. "Ah… thank you so much."
"It's no big deal, really!" Dai replied, "I'm just glad I could help."
"Well, as a token of my gratitude, please have these…" The old woman then gave Dai four pieces of papers, "Well, please excuse me…" The old woman was quick to leave him.
"Wait, I do not need payment…" Dai was about to say, but the woman was long gone, "What is this…" He ended up reading the papers and realized… these were tickets for a newly opened public beach. A ticket can be used for two people for a price of one, 'Wow, this looks like a good deal! Guess if we're resting, it had better be here when we got the chance! The time's limited too… I guess I should ask about this to Takeru and the rest!'
In quite the excitement, Dai walked off, heading to somewhere not very crowded so he could transport back to Kizuna at peace.
Little did he know, however, that the old woman was watching him from afar. "Hee hee hee…" The old woman giggled and as she swiped her face… it turned out that it was one of Mazurka's disguises, 'The beach may be real, the deal may be real… but that is where you'll be headed, Super Sentai… your doom…'
Although in a sudden, she coughed several times. 'Gah! Speaking in an old woman's tone doesn't do too good for my throat!' Mazurka thought as she quickly made her retreat from the crowd further.
"A break, you say?" When Dai gave to the message to Takeru who was training, he was slightly skeptical, "You sure you want to take a break in heavy times like this?"
"Of course I realize that these are heavy times." Dai acknowledged Takeru's worry, but he insisted, "But, well as you know, sometimes breaks are necessary."
"I don't think we need one." Takeru said as he got up and grabbed his shinai. "Sorry, Dai. Maybe another time…" He raised his shinai as he tried to strike on the practice target. It hit him, but the result wasn't satisfactory to him, "Tch… Can't seem to do it right…"
"Takeru?" Shortly after, Miki entered the training room as well, and saw Takeru's face, "Are you okay? You don't look too good…"
"I'm fine…" Takeru insisted, "I don't need…"
"Rest? Please, don't push yourself too hard." Miki reprimanded him, "If your body does require rest after days of nonstop training… you should try resting or you won't make any progress."
"How did you know about…" Takeru was shocked at Miki's perception. She knew on his body condition with a mere look.
"I know, because I had one experience when I was a beginner at gymnastic." Miki said, recalling her past as she wasn't an instant expert of gymnastic, she had her shares of failure, "I thought constantly training was the best thing, but when the big day comes, I was too tired and ended up failing… I know we're at a higher stake here, but when we need rest… we have to."
"… Very well, I'll bite." Takeru said as he looked at Dai, "Dai… I'll take your offer."
"That's great!" Dai said, nodded and smiled while showing his tickets, "Perhaps we can go to this place. I got this from an old lady I helped, looks promising."
"A public beach?" Takeru noted, in which suddenly someone entered in a rush and excitement… Youhei.
"Did someone say 'public beach'?" Youhei stated back, his eyes glimmering in excitement.
"Well I was thinking of a break for us all…" Takeru explained, "And Dai offered to go to the beach…"
"Hey, that sounds great!" Another voice was heard and Gai was seen entering, "I'm totally in for that idea."
"Wow, you seem really excited, Gai." Miki commented, although the comment shortly after turned into a snarking sentence, "Or was it just because you wanna see us in swimsuits?"
"N-no. Well I…" Gai was about to make up his excuse, but deep down, he and Youhei agreed in one thing. A trip to the beach means lots of ladies in swimsuit to ogle at. However, at that moment, someone entered….
"A trip to the beach sounds nice. Maybe I can teach you swimming there." Mako, who just entered, suddenly said those to Miki, who smiled in return, followed by looking at Takeru, "I'm glad you thought even to that, Takeru. Thanks for the understanding."
"Well, I was just following Dai's suggestion here…" Takeru stated, "But what about Sayaka and Remi…"
"I'd say it would be fitting if we take a break now." And speak of the devil, Sayaka and Remi were already at the door, overhearing, and Sayaka spoke, "I've noted that most of the training results these days weren't that good. A break would be good to produce a better result."
"So… where do we go? I mean, which beach…" Remi asked, in which Takeru pointed at Dai who's holding the ticket. Remi looked at it, and was surprised, "Oh! I've also heard about this. Some of my students also got these. This looks interesting, maybe I'll meet one of them there."
"Well, in that case, better prepare for it, then!" Youhei suggested, "We should start preparing for it now!" It's still morning after all, and according to the ticket, the promotion ends in that day. This was their only chance for an economic position. Agreeing with a nod, Takeru also got to his room, trying to prepare what's necessary for a vacation in a beach.
However, at the ladies' room, everyone was puzzled. The Kizuna did come with some extra clothes they could use… which apparently include swimsuits. But the design of the swimsuits was making them uneasy. "This is the swimsuit I'm supposed to wear?" Miki asked, looking at a certain pink swimsuit, "Looks so tight… and doesn't cover much…"
"It's like a gravure model's bikini…" Mako added, commenting at the bikini's design which did look like a very tight bikini and pants, while holding hers which was apparently red-colored and was strapless to boot, "Who designed the swimsuits here?"
"Akihiro… I'm starting to think that you're secretly a pervert." Sayaka also commented, looking at her swimsuit, a white-colored one, "That is… if you're the one who designed it."
"I wonder how AkaRed and his female allies had to deal with such friends…" Remi also said with her yellow-colored swimsuit, "Can't we just buy a new one? This could be too much even for me…"
"Uhm…" Miki was silent hearing that statement. She didn't know what to answer.
"How about we just take these… and see if there's some swimsuit store nearby." Sayaka suggested, "This'll only serve as emergency."
"That's a good idea." Mako nodded, "Now all we can hope is that they got the right size for all of us…"
The beach they visited was quite crowded. The Super Sentai boys were already ready with their swimming trunks, each colored as their color suggested as they found the trunks on Kizuna. "All right, this should be great!" Gai commented as he clasped his hands. His eyes were looking left and right… of course, hunting any girls he could hit on, and to his suspicion, there were aplenty, "Woo-hoo, this'll do great!"
"So, I guess everyone's ready for the fun, huh?" Youhei said as he finished setting up the chairs and umbrellas, "Got your sunblock lotions ready?"
"You mean that one to prevent this sun-burn or something?" Dai confirmed, "In that case, I'm ready!" He stretches his hand up, enjoying the sun, "Aah, certainly this is much better than that time when sunlight actually burn me to death…"
"Must've been the Anti-Flash Phenomenon… Good for you, Dai." Takeru commented until he realized something, "So… where's Mako and the others?"
"They sure take their time in changing clothes." Dai commented, as he looked behind… and saw the ladies walking with their swimsuits on, "Oh there they are!"
"Whoa!" Youhei was in awe looking at the ladies' swimsuits, "You girls seriously look stunning. It's like I'm looking at four models…"
"Four smoking hot models at that!" Gai added, also equally enthusiastic, "Man it feels good to walk on Earth again now!"
"D… don't look at us like that." Miki said, a bit shy at the attention, "It's making me uneasy."
"That's some daring design." Takeru stated, "Did you get that from Kizuna, too?"
"Yeah… but it's not like we really want this kind of model…" Mako stated as she was also uneasy with such revealing outfit.
"You see, we went through stores before we changed." Sayaka explained how they were late, "We looked for more covering swimsuits, but… none of them fit our size… So we're stuck with these."
"Well, I guess I can let that go. It's just for today, right?" Remi said as she tried to lift everyone's spirits up, "Come on, let's have our fun!"
"Yeah, no point in musing about what can't be changed." Dai nodded, "Let's enjoy ourselves here!"
And so every of the Super Sentai went their separate ways, as much as it allowed them. Takeru was just content seeing the team having fun while he relaxed under one of the umbrellas they brought. However, that came to an end when he was being called… by Youhei. "Hey, Takeru! Come over here!"
"Oh, what now…" Takeru said lowly, at least hoping that Youhei was not up for a prank. However, he saw that beside him were some children.
"Well we need one more guy for the game…" Youhei said while Takeru approached him, "So…"
One look at the children and Takeru really couldn't say 'no'. He just nodded in confirmation, "Fine, what game?"
And meanwhile, on the body of water, Mako was teaching Miki to swim. "Well, let's see… I think freestyle would be the easiest to learn." Mako said, thinking which style would fit. "It's the most common even for beginners."
"Oh, that. I know the theory." Miki mentioned, although her face was quick to switch to disappointment, "It's just that I don't think my body responded well to that…"
"Don't worry! I'm here to help." Mako reassured her while tapping her on the back.
"Mako, please. I'm not a child anymore…" Miki insisted as she felt a little embarrassed, thinking of being taught like a kid learning to swim.
"There's no need to be ashamed. If adults were unable to swim, they've got to start somewhere, with tutors if necessary." Mako reassured once more, "I've had cases of an older man being taught like a child in terms of swimming. He's not that ashamed and it didn't take long for him to swim on his own."
"R… really?" Miki tried to make sure.
"Yep, so come on. Grab my hand and start swimming." Mako said as she offered her two hands, "The water level should be fitting enough."
"Okay…" Without a choice, Miki held Mako's hands and she began swimming, flapping her legs on the body of water.
"Don't forget to breathe." Mako reminded in which Miki got her head above the water, took a breath and got the head above the water again, "There we go, you're doing good!"
After awhile, Mako suddenly let go of her hand, "Well, let's see that freestyle hand." Miki confirmed it and she started also crawling through the water surface with her hand… but it didn't take long for her to eventually give in and ended up drowning, "Oh no!" However, Mako was quick enough to grab her and put her head back to the surface.
"I knew this is going to be useless…" Miki sighed after she regained her composure.
"Don't give up! It'll come in handy, I guarantee!" Mako cheered her up, "One must be aware when the enemy will suddenly strike and if you're knocked to the body of water alone… you'll be in trouble."
"I… see. Okay, I'll do my best!" Miki, reinvigorated thanks to the support, once again resumed her swimming lesson with Mako.
In the meantime, Sayaka was also resting under the umbrella as she picked up one novel she brought about and started reading. 'Ah… reading a novel on beach does have a different feel compared to reading it in a room…' She thought as she read the pages. She started to get absorbed in the reading, then she didn't realize that there was a shadow looming to her.
"Hey, babe." It was a man, and he didn't look too pleasant, despite having good look.
"What?" Sayaka was quick to reply, putting the book aside.
"You're quite a looker and pretty hot." The man said, "How about a date with me, huh?"
And Sayaka instantly knew this was one man not worth bothering. Without saying a thing she just ignored the man and continued reading. "Oh, ignore me will you? ! I'll show you what a man is like!" The man yelled angrily as he roughly grabbed Sayaka's hand.
"Ah? !" Shocked, Sayaka ended up dropping her book and struggled a little. Such man would be a piece of cake for her. Even when not sitting down, she could've just tossed him aside. But before she even did that, the man backed down.
"Show her what a man is like, huh? With that kind of style-less attitude?" It was Gai, who already pinned his hand behind and started twisting it, as the man started yelping in pain, "Get lost! Come back when you learn about how to treat women!"
"You'll regret that!" The man yelled as he ran off, avoiding Gai. He sighed in return.
"Man, a loser like that thinking too big for his own brain." Gai muttered, and afterwards he looked at Sayaka, "Hey, you OK?"
"I could've handled that myself. But thanks, Gai." Sayaka answered, smiling. Gai returned the smile, but then Sayaka's started to vanish as Gai suddenly walked away, and approached two girls carrying two surf boards. It seemed that he was about to teach them how to surf. But the way it looked like, it's like he's flirting with them. "Gai? ! You womanizer! Fine, you do what you want…" Sighing, Sayaka returned to her seat and continued reading…
"Sorry I kept you!" In the meantime, Remi came to Dai, who was just sitting down on the beach sands. On her hands were two canned drinks, "Here, as promised!"
"Whoa, thanks!" Dai said as he grabbed it.
"You know how to open it?" Remi asked as she sat down. At least she'd like to know if during Dai's battle against the Mess Empire, he had at least drank from a canned drink.
"Oh don't worry, I know this one." Dai said as he easily opened the can, "See?" As he said that, he started drinking as Remi followed suit. "Whew! Nice breeze. Makes this drink taste even better!"
"Breeze? Well it's kinda hot, but it also has some nice breeze too." Remi added, "Simply great! Reminds me that time I and my siblings went over to beaches. How many times has it been…"
"I rarely got to the beach while fighting. I'm glad I get to do so on Earth's beach again!" Dai added again, but then his voice started to get down a little, "Though I wish I could've taken Sumire-chan over here…"
"Sumire… who?" With her curiosity piqued, Remi then started asking, as she also inserted some naughty comments, "Your girlfriend, perhaps?"
At that moment, Dai ended up spitting the drinks on his mouth, "What? ! No, no! It's not like what you think!" He said, "She's just a good friend of mine. We had quite the adventure and formed a friendship… Not to mention she's already dead."
"Eh? !" Remi was shocked. Once again she let her mouth run a little too uncontrolled.
"Well, we spoke through telepathy… and moments after I befriended her, I found her grave." Dai explained, reminded with his previous quest, "Yeah, it was quite the encounter. But if she's here, I bet she's enjoying herself immensely."
"I think with you enjoying yourself here, she is happy up there as well." Remi nodded and also said, "I bet it'll be what she wanted. For you to be happy. Besides, you found your father too, right?"
"Well yeah… But we got more fights awaiting us before my true reunion comes." Dai reminded, knowing that even if this was a break time, after that they'll be back for fighting.
It would seem that this would've been one relaxing vacation… Until…
In the middle of the sea, there was a small splash. It quickly grew into a big one as a monster jumped out from it. This monster was a female, with scales of a snake, but there were a lot of worms coming out from her scales.
"Very well… do it, Nurujindan Bouma!" A voice that only she could hear was heard on her ears. As such, her snake tail touched the water and it created a whirlpool.
In the meantime, Miki and Mako were still swimming, until they feel like something was pulling them in. "I've got a bad feeling about this. Mako, don't you think so?" Miki noted as she felt like being pulled farther from the land.
"Yeah, we should go back." Mako agreed and was about to swim back to the surface. But in the same time, the pull got stronger and stronger, and many people were pulled in as well. "Damn!"
"Ah!" She and Miki were holding hands, but the chaos eventually ended up with their hands released. As Mako witnessed, Miki was helpless with this kind of water, no matter how hard she tried to swim, she continued to be pulled in, "Mako! Go! Don't worry about me!"
"I… I…!" Mako had two choices. She could go back and report to the others, since she could at least swim, if she calmed her mind, she might be able to go against the water pulling her down. However, seeing Miki like that, she chose another option, "Hang in there!" She instead swam with all she could, trying to reach Miki.
"Mako!" Miki yelled, she couldn't believe in what Mako did. Their hands eventually held together, but at that point, it was already too late… they were too near with the whirlpool.
"That's… like a Gedoushuu…? !" Mako witnessed this monster, the Nurujindan Bouma. It was obvious that this monster was a combination between an Ayakashi and a Bouma monster. But she had no time to wonder further as she ended up entering the whirlpool with Miki and spun there.
"AAAAHHH!"
"MIKI!" After realizing what happened, Youhei yelled and nearly jumped to the water. However, Takeru stopped him before he could do it, "Let go, Takeru!"
"Don't touch the body of water." Takeru stated, "Or else you'll get sucked in too."
"What? ! And leave Miki and Mako like that? ! Are you out of your mind? !" Gai, who arrived shortly, protested, witnessing Takeru's cold decision.
"Takeru had a point." Sayaka, who was with Gai, added, "If we recklessly jump to the water, we'll be unable to help anyone and get in trouble."
"But we can't just leave them like that!" Dai insisted, as he grew increasingly worried seeing that the water has become a completely dangerous zone.
"I didn't say that we're to abandon them either." Takeru stayed calm and had his eyes on the Nurujindan Bouma, "If we snipe that monster, perhaps it will disrupt whatever planning he got."
"Good idea! Better than nothing after all!" Remi agreed with the idea and prepared to depart, "Well let's prepare to transform! Our transformation devices are on our bag, right?"
"Yes. Let's…" Takeru was about to take a step, until suddenly someone landed in front of him and the rest, "You…!" On this figure's landing, everyone nearby started panicking and running. This figure was none other than…
"Radiguet…!" Gai uttered the figure's name. What a time for him to conduct his plan, when the team was resting.
"Super Sentai… I will not let you do anything else…" Radiguet uttered as he eventually raised his sword, "Except to die here!" He then swung his sword, but thankfully, the team dodged in time.
"We're not transformed, a contact with that sword will be fatal." Takeru noted, "Everyone, on guard…!"
They were about to fight further, but then they heard screams. As they looked behind, they saw Grinam soldiers grabbing onto many innocent people, men or women. And one by one, they tossed them into the body of water, in which they were all sucked into the whirlpool created by Nurujindan Bouma. "Ugh… if we let them be…!" Youhei was getting worried, but then he started to run away, "Sorry, guys! Can't let this happen!" He approached one of the Grinams as he leapt. "CHESTO!" With one yell, he kicked the Grinam trying to toss a woman nearby. "Run! Everyone run!" He yelled as he continued to make a stand for the people, fighting against the Grinam.
However, he was eventually overcome when one Grinam smacked his back from behind. The soldiers grabbed him and prepared to toss him to the water… but then those soldiers were kicked on the face by both Sayaka and Remi, and another one was tossed to the water by Dai. "Sorry, Youhei, can't let you have all the fun." Dai assured him as he helped him get up.
"Thanks… but what about Radiguet?" Youhei asked.
"Oh, no need to worry." Remi assured him as she pointed to Radiguet, who fought with just Takeru and Gai, "Those two got him under control."
"Come on, guys we got work to do!" Sayaka reminded and thus the four started fighting the Grinams, protecting the innocents from being tossed to the water. 'Ugh, at this rate, we may not even have the time to shoot that creature down…!'
"You fought with tenacity, even as a human." Radiguet, while fighting Takeru and Gai, commented, "But know your weakness. Feel my power!" He then took a swing straight to Takeru. At that moment, Takeru immediately grasped the blade with his own hands. "What? !"
"Shirihadori. You know as a Samurai, I am capable of such." Takeru noted, still confident as he tightened his grip as Radiguet was still insistent to push his sword onto Takeru's head.
"Even so, you really think you can keep this forever? !" Radiguet beckoned, "Go ahead, I know you want to kick me in the stomach! But your normal feet wouldn't be able to take it…"
"Oh yeah? Bet your eyes can't take this either!" Gai suddenly said and with his hand full of beach sands, he tossed them to Radiguet's eyes.
"Curse you…!" Radiguet, with his eyes filled with sands, ended up in a blunder as Takeru was able to get away.
"Now!" Takeru said, signaling to Gai. The latter just nodded and ran towards the bag. They were trying to pick up their Shodophone and Cross Changer so at least they would be able to transform and stop the monster. However…
"Haaa!" Even if his vision was blurred, Radiguet ended up opening his mouth and blasting the area where Youhei, Sayaka, Remi and Dai were fighting, creating an explosion that knocked them away.
"Gaagh!" Youhei grunted as he fell to the ground. To his side was Dai, "You OK, Dai? !"
"I'm fine!" Dai said as he attempted to get up, "Attacking his own allies to get at us! He's gonna pay for this!"
"Aaaah!" However, screams of two women put that plan in halt. To their horror, they saw Sayaka and Remi already fallen to the body of water and were sucked into the whirlpool too, no matter how hard they try to swim. It only delayed the inevitable.
"No! Sayaka!"
"Remi!"
"Heh… That'll be enough Nurujindan Bouma!" Suddenly Radiguet yelled and the monster nodded from afar.
"What? !" As Radiguet suddenly stepped away, Takeru said to him.
"Super Sentai! Enjoy your last moments. Soon you will be begging that you would've died by my blade today!" Radiguet boasted. And as the whirlpool ceased to be, Nurujindan Bouma picked up a huge net from the water. Every of those caught in the whirlpool, including Miki, Sayaka, Remi and Mako, were also there. "I will be going, with your female friends in tow. Lament that you were unable to save them! Hahahaha!" With a triumphant laughter, he and the monster and the net vanished.
"Wait, Radiguet!" Gai yelled, but it was no use. So, Radiguet was able to score one more victory for them. "Damn it!"
"I'm sorry, guys…!" Dai, as he approached the rest, apologized, "If only I didn't suggest going here, at this day…!"
"Come on, now, Dai. We never expected this, so don't blame yourself." Youhei assured him, also tapping his shoulder, "I only hope Miki and the rest is okay."
"I think we should try formulating something for that monster. What it can do, or anything." Takeru concluded, "I'll be at the Shiba Household for awhile. You find what you can in Kizuna."
"Huh? What's with the sudden interest of going back home?" Gai asked in curiosity.
"Well, a woman that appeared in the middle of water body, and having a body like a snake, drowns people off…" Takeru explained shortly, "Well perhaps there is information about Gedoushuu like that."
As the villains arrived at their hideout, Nurujindan Bouma broke away the net inside a huge hall, dropping everyone there. Expectedly, everyone was in terror, as they were in an unknown place, an eerie one at that.
"They got you too?" Mako, noticing that Sayaka and Remi were amongst the crowd, said.
"Yeah, sorry. We blundered…" Remi replied, not really amused at the current events, "And not only we're not with our devices, we're in this outfit…"
"I suppose it's just bad luck…" Miki tried to reassure the rest. However, just shortly after, they heard the sound of the door opening. And when they looked at the door, they saw Ahames walking in.
"So it seems that these are all that Nurujindan Bouma gathered. Including you, Nagisa Sayaka." Ahames proclaimed, "Very well… none of you will be spared." As Ahames said that, she pointed a finger to a nearby statue and blasted it to destruction as the demonstration of her power. At that very moment, the whole crowd panicked. They feared the possibilities of them being killed. As there were captured children, they were all trembling in fear.
"Showing this to children… you're cruel." Mako condemned Ahames' act. Even so, she knew that fighting in this condition would be futile. But at least she wanted the innocents to be spared.
"Wait, Ahames… I have a proposal." Sayaka suddenly spoke, "Spare these people. In exchange, we will be your prisoner."
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? You're going to die regardless, here or later!" Ahames was not about to listen to Sayaka's plead. But before she could aim her finger once more, her wrist was grabbed from behind by Radiguet. "Radiguet…? !"
"So, do you mean what you say?" Radiguet asked once more, "You realize that if you are the prisoners here, then your death will be extremely slow and painful, rather than a quick one? Or that we could use you for something else?"
"I am prepared. Right, girls?" Sayaka then looked at her three allies. They realize what she was thinking, to sacrifice themselves for the innocents. Knowing the risks, they nodded.
"Hmph… very well. They will be spared for now." Radiguet, in a sudden move, agreed to the proposal. As he snapped his finger, there was another door opened behind them, "All of you, get out of here! Consider yourself lucky that these four sacrificed themselves for you, next time I won't be so lenient."
"Aah… aaah!" In fear, the rest of the crowd ran away, leaving the four ladies alone. The four only stared at Radiguet, who also summoned several Grinam soldiers… they're carrying chains. Without even letting them dress up more properly, Radiguet had them chained up with their hands behind them and even their legs were chained together.
"Take them to the prison." Radiguet commanded and the four ladies were picked up by the Grinam soldiers and taken away. However, even Ahames was slightly suspicious on Radiguet's approach.
'Letting go of prisoners? This is not like you, Radiguet. But from your eyes, it's like you had another plan in store.'
The four were eventually tossed in a prison cell. "Why?" Remi asked and even beckoned, "Is just being held here supposed to be your idea of torture…" However, what she received was a blast from Radiguet's mouth. "AH!" Remi ended up collapsing to the ground.
"If you think you can just taunt like that and get away with it, you'd be wrong." Radiguet beckoned once more.
"Maybe we'd be here." Miki said as well, "But you should know that we won't be here for long… Our…"
"Friends will rescue you, you would like to say?" Radiguet interrupted, "Ha! They won't escape what I had in plan to them. Perhaps you evened the scale with your actions in regards of Shiraishi Mako. But this time… just like how I killed your mother, I will once again tilt the scale to my favor…!"
"What…? !" Mako was shocked hearing this. It was the first time that she heard about Miki's mother. "Miki… you…" Miki was silent. She was trying to keep her emotion at bay. However, Radiguet was relentless.
"If it wasn't obvious enough for you, I will reiterate it. Your patheticness costed the life of your mother." Radiguet continued to taunt, "And did you really expect to defeat me with such silly fighting style? To avenge your mother with that? You make me laugh… You're always the weakest in your team, and yet those eyes say you can defeat me? Or perhaps you're hiding the fact that all you brought to your team, be it Goggle V or this new team… were nothing but trouble?" Miki froze at the sentence. Her face started to lose her composure, reminded with how many times the rest of the Goggle V saved her from danger, and the moments in the new team, especially that one time with the Gunman-Porcupine Bouma, "Failures after patheticness… You're only making your mother weep in hell… even more than how the devils were doing it with her…"
"You… BASTARD!" At that point Miki exploded. She really struggled against the chains that bound her, if she could break free, she would've punched Radiguet on the face, "You won't keep that smirk for long, Radiguet! You'll pay for what you did…!"
"Miki, calm down!" Sayaka tried to stop her, but it was no use.
"Hmph. Revel in your weakness then. Because soon… soon your male friends will be joining your mother in Hell!" As Radiguet said that, he vanished, accompanied with a triumphant laughter.
"You monster…! I won't let it happen! Whatever you're planning, I will stop them!" Miki continued to shout until she got rather tired.
"Miki… have you calmed down yet?" Mako asked, and from her sitting position, she closed herself to Miki, "What is it with you and Radiguet? I never thought that he did that to you in your timeline…"
"In the past, when the Goggle V fought against Deathdark, Radiguet did not appear there…" Remi answered, which was followed by Sayaka.
"But in this bizarre world, early in our struggle… Radiguet did it." Afterwards, Sayaka then told the story to Mako, from Miki's reunion with her mother into the tragic death at the hands of Radiguet.
"My God… that was horrible…" Mako was stunned. Her hatred to Radiguet intensified, due to what he did to Miki. She only looked at Miki, who had a very saddened face, "Miki…"
"It's… all right, Mako." Suddenly Miki looked at her, her face looked quite cheery in spite of her outburst before, "I'm all over it. I promised I won't cry over it."
"Liar." Mako suddenly said, "You can't hide it forever. From the look at your eyes, you seem like you want to cry."
"I…" Miki wanted to protest, but unconsciously, one single drop of tear dropped from her eyes. Her façade destroyed, she sighed and put her head low, "We got caught like this… I'm worried… what will Radiguet plan to do on Takeru and the others?"
"I'm sorry I brought you onto this… I was acting on impulse back then." Sayaka also apologized, "But what crossed my mind back then was that I want the innocents to be spared…"
"No, if we didn't go over with your plan, Sayaka…" Remi countered, "We'd die, we have no means to defend ourselves from Ahames' assault, and the innocents will die too."
"I agree with Remi." Mako also assured, and turned back towards Miki, "Don't worry. It'll work out."
"Now they basically could end up like my mother…" Miki, however, wasn't quite calmed down just yet, "If only I was actually competent in swimming, I wouldn't force you to teach me and we wouldn't end up like this…"
"Now, now, Miki…" Mako tried to calm her down again, "I'm not blaming you or anything. All we can do right now is do what we can…"
"Like what?" Remi suddenly brought up, all while wiggling her hands trying to break free, "We're all tied up tightly here. With chains at that."
"Well I think what Mako was trying to say was that 'We have to believe in Takeru and the others'." Sayaka concluded, "You know, I don't quite like that we are the damsels in distress for this, but it's not like we got many chances to prove otherwise in this. Though things like this happen sometimes, I guess."
"Yeah, we shouldn't muzzle ourselves about this too much." Mako added, as she looked at Miki. She instinctively wanted to hug her, but then she's all tied up with hands behind her, making such act impossible. "Miki… bury your face to my shoulder."
"Eh?" Miki already read what was Mako trying to say, "But I promised I won't…"
"It's fine. Just this once is fine." Mako assured her once more, "We're friends, right? When one wants to cry, the friend's job is to lend a shoulder to cry on… And… I want to shoulder your burden and sadness too."
Miki was silent and touched with Mako's compassion. Without saying a word, she put her face on Mako's shoulder and gave low sobs on their predicament and on her mother.
Several hours later, Miki was done with her sadness. In time, the four talked quite a bit in terms of plans to get out and searching for something. But then, either the bonds were too tight, or they found nothing like an aqueduct for them to snoop in.
It was suddenly that someone approached the prison. "Doldora…? !" Remi recognized the face.
"Well, looking cozy, aren't you, ladies." Doldora mocked, as she snapped her finger. All of the sudden, several Batzler soldiers arrived. "Well, one of you are about to hold a special meeting with us. I'm afraid the uninvited ones will have to stay."
"Meeting? ! In this kind of clothes? !" Miki protested, "At least you could give a decency to give us more things to wear!"
"No need to worry, the one who gets invited gets to put in something new." As Doldora said that, she had the Batzlers open the door… and they picked Remi up.
"Remi? !" Sayaka called. She struggled to move and approach her, but then Doldora stepped in and kicked her on the cheek, knocking her down.
"Sayaka!" Not only Remi, but Miki and Mako also called her in worry.
"When I said 'the uninvited stays', I mean it." Doldora said coldly, "Now let's be moving." With that, the galactic professor and her soldiers left, carrying Remi away…
"Nnnngghhmmm! Mmmggh? !" As it turned out, Remi has been tied standing to a post inside a great hall and her mouth has been gagged with a certain cloth… and for some reason, it felt really sticky to her mouth. 'I thought I was going to wear something else! Why am I still in swimsuit? !' She struggled in annoyance that Doldora lied to her.
"Come now, a 'gag' can act like your new accessory. So technically, I wasn't lying." Doldora said, looking at Remi's annoyed face, she realized that she hit the spot, "I didn't say you get to wear 'new clothes'…" It made Remi struggle even more in annoyance.
"So is she in position now?" A voice rang behind her, and as Remi saw in shock, it was Radiguet, "Doldora… so I take your useless new invention works fine?"
"Useless? !" Doldora felt annoyed that Radiguet insulted her new invention, "This cloth is making things easier to silence people." She said as she pointed to the cloth gagging Remi, "All we need was just to circle it on our victims' mouth and it'll stick like a glue, preventing speech."
"Well, from the look of it, it's like normal cloth." Mazurka, who also arrived, commented, "It's a mundane thing. But it has its uses."
"That's enough." Radiguet stated as he looked at Remi, "Hoshikawa Remi… I sense that at least in you… I'm not sensing enough hatred. That's why you will be honored with this show I engineered. Firsthand." Remi could only glare at Radiguet with horror and anger. Thus far, what she heard about Radiguet was particularly nasty. However, she has yet to see it with her own eyes.
'I'll just have to believe them. Radiguet is a sick, nasty bastard…'
"But first, I want you to behold one thing." Radiguet suddenly backed away and showed a broken orb. It's like it's broken in four pieces, if combined, it would become a full orb. "This is what would be called the 'Orb of Corruption'. Ahames went through her effort to obtain it, and I managed to at least know how it's used."
'Ahames…! Then that…' Remi was instantly reminded with the last battle with Ahames and Jarmin. She noted that they picked up something before they escaped.
"It seems that it's meant to be shattered in four… and used separately as a great, corruptive power." Radiguet continued, "As a matter of fact, I've used that on the latest Nurujindan Bouma… by planting it onto its body. Now you will behold something."
As Radiguet snapped his finger, a big screen was shown and Remi saw small, doll-like statues lying down on the floor. However, one thing that shocked her was that the statues were like people in swimsuits. 'No, they can't be…!' In anger, Remi lashed out at Radiguet. "Nnnngghh! Mmmff!" 'You said you'd spare them! Liar!'
"Yes, if I remember, Nagisa Sayaka wanted them to be spared. I am a man of my word." Radiguet stated, each words horrified Remi even more, "I spared them only so they can get into the room where they will be trapped and using Nurujindan Bouma's stone breath to turn them into statues." These were enough for Remi that Radiguet lived up to what everyone said about him. He's a nasty bastard. She only looked at him with angry eyes, occasionally trying to break free of her bonds because she didn't know how long she could hold the urge of punching him on the face.
"Normally, according to Jarmin, that is what it could do normally." Radiguet continued, "However, for you, I have one special occasion. Behold, because this may not be the last time you see it."
Two figures entered that screen. Juzou and Jarmin, they walked to the pile of statues. Juzou then picked a small statue at random and tossed it to the air, while Jarmin opened her mouth, blasting it and eventually it let out some gas and from it, a man emerged. It was a normal man. "Wha… what are you doing…? !" The man said in fear. However, he felt like his body was not normal. It's like something is squiggling in his body and he could hear squeamish sounds from his ears. "What… what is this…? !"
"You will see soon enough." Juzou said, sighing. It's not like he enjoyed doing this as this didn't give him enough satisfaction in fight, but he was gang-pressured with force by Radiguet in the past. As the man crawled backwards, Juzou quickly caught up to him and with Uramasa raised, he then swung it downwards…
"AAAHHH!" The man screamed as Uramasa slashed through his limb, cutting his own arm. But that was nothing to behold with what he realized soon. His arm, rather than dripping with blood, suddenly unleashed something… worms. Not normal worms either… these worms had their mouth full of sharp fangs consuming all. And it was not just that man who was freaked out with this revelation… Remi as well. She ended up closing her eyes in terror and disgust, as the man started screaming uncontrollably and rolled around in pain, as his body also unleashed worms from the part where it was cut.
"Hahaha… what a sight…! You should enjoy it fully!" Radiguet said as he then his fingers onto Remi's eyelids… and forced one of them open, "You see? The turning to stone was but a mere process so the man's body is devoured by worms from the inside and soon, their bloods will be replaced by worms and then…"
At one moment, life escaped from the man's eyes. With its lifeless eye, it stood up like a zombie. He slowly picked up the torn arm and attached it together. Then he looked at the screen with his lifeless eye. "This… will be the fate of humanity. To become nothing but legions of worms into mindless beings." Radiguet concluded his show.
"Hmmmmnnggh! Grrrgggmmmpphh!" Remi had nothing more but to scream and curse under her gag, she couldn't take it anymore. Radiguet went past her expectations to think of something like this. However, Radiguet only closed his head onto hers and said in confidence.
"And you see… perhaps your friends could have a taste in this…"
However, in the meantime, both Mazurka and Doldora got out of the viewing room. They were holding their mouth. "What is the meaning of this?" They were greeted from behind by Lee Keflen, who was not attending.
"Radiguet… his plan worked… too perfectly." Mazurka explained as she was just about ready to puke anywhere, "As much as it's too effective… it's too disgusting…!"
"What did he do?" Lee Keflen asked again.
"Well… let's just say he made transformation from humans into a legion of worms forming a body possible…" Doldora answered in the briefest way possible. Even thinking about it gave her goosebumps.
"What…? !" Even Lee Keflen was stunned. He would praise it like usual, but he had to admit, even through his record of mixing DNA of various creature, he was horrified at such concept of transforming humans into legions of worms that walk. 'That was certainly over the top… Radiguet…!'
In the meantime, Remi was sent back to her prison while still bound and gagged, where her friends approached her. "Remi! Are you okay?" Sayaka, worried about her, approached. "What's the matter?"
"Mmm…!" Remi was about to speak, but then her muffled sound made her realize that she was unable to speak. She wanted to explain what she just saw, but she was prevented to do so. In other words, Miki, Sayaka and Mako were prevented to know what's going on. Her face quickly soured when this realization hit in.
"Did they do something to you?" Miki asked, looking at the expression. But there's not much Remi could convey from this limited options.
"It's all right, Remi." Mako said, "Whatever they did to us, we can take'em, right?"
The confidence that the ladies displayed did nothing but distress Remi further. They didn't know the horrors that Radiguet committed and the possibilities of what he'd do to the rest of the world. 'They don't know…! They don't know what Radiguet had in store for the rest of the world, us and our friends! Takeru… guys… please be safe…!'
"So… we have to do it." Inside Kizuna, Takeru just concluded the meeting with the rest of the boys. He's done his research, and has concluded the Gedoushuu part of the monster. It was part of the Ayakashi Nureujika, which would become the basis of the youkai 'Nure-Onna', the female that lured swimming people in order to drown them in the sea.
"So long as we got it out of water, we may stand a chance." Youhei added, "Though it's too bad I can't pinpoint the Bouma traits. Man, if only Chiron is here."
"We can't take advantage of that one weakness too." Dai lamented as well. It seemed that this Nureujika had one certain weakness, but this seemed unavailable with the current roster of the team.
"Well that's more reason that we have to save them." Gai tried to ensure what they're going to do, "Without them, we…" However, at that moment, the monitor inside the Kizuna acted up and displayed Radiguet. "What? ! Radiguet!"
"Hello, and a good day to you, Super Sentai." Radiguet said through the video.
"Looks like a recorded message…" Youhei commented.
"I suppose our fight was interrupted. So I demand that we do our rematch to the barren mountains located at the south of the town." Radiguet declared further, "Come to there at tomorrow afternoon. Or you wouldn't like the result…" As Radiguet stepped aside, it was revealed that there were four chairs, and Miki, Sayaka, Remi and Mako were tied up there, and also had similar clothes gagging their mouth. At a snap of the finger, the chair suddenly let out electric current that electrocuted them. "Well then, I will meet you there… Hahahaha…"
"That bastard!" Gai was angry enough that he's about to punch the monitor, but he was held back by Youhei and Dai, "Does he even know the concept 'shame', putting the ladies in their swimsuit? !"
"Hold up, Gai. I know you're angry… I mean, I am too…" Dai said, "But you can't lash out like this!"
"As much as I'm disgusted, they probably just won't care about clothes, if they're caught in those clothes…" Takeru added, although his face wasn't really amused, "It's still a disgraceful act he did…"
"Hmph! It's folly to expect honor and decency amongst Vyram." Gai said, cracking his knuckles to vent his frustration, "Tomorrow, he's going to pay anyway!"
Something, however, bugged Takeru. While the rest were just going fine and confident that they'd save the day like usual, he was a little uneasy. 'It's like Radiguet is plotting something. Perhaps I need to be careful…'
It was earlier than expected in the promised day. But at there, the villains arrived within the morning when the sun has risen and started to bathe the ground with hot light. Amongst the group were Radiguet, Nurujindan Bouma, as well as Ahames and Jarmin, and a handful of Grinam soldiers. And to put it on the cincher, they also brought in Miki, Sayaka, Remi and Mako, and in addition of being chained, except the legs this time, and gagged, they were also tied to steel crosses on their back.
The weight of the cross and the heat of the sun proved to be painful for the four, they were like being roasted with their skins exposed to the sun and being forced to carry such heavy thing that wouldn't cover much of their skin. And as they were blindfolded, they really couldn't find anything. "The march begins now!" Radiguet commanded, and as he walked, Ahames pulled a chain in front of Miki, effectively dragging her and her friends forward.
At times, the girls fell down due to the weight of their cross, or because of the harsh terrain of the mountain. At that point, Jarmin would mercilessly whip them until they get up. Despite such rough treatment, the four ladies perservered and managed to get up everytime they fall. Despite their torture, they still kept their spirit up… all except Remi, who knew the horrors that awaited them. Even so, she still managed to bring her spirit up to continue to walk forward.
Once they arrived at the top of the mountain, Radiguet snapped his finger and the crosses and blindfolds were removed from the ladies. However, as they began to see, they saw men standing next to Radiguet, with lifeless eyes. "Mmmm? !" Sayaka was shocked looking at the men with lifeless eyes. Remi just widened her eyes in horror.
'It's them…!'
"Lift them up." Radiguet commanded and the men obeyed, one by one, they grabbed the ladies, starting with Miki, and then removed the chains around her. Miki was confused that they were ordered to untie her, but when she felt like something was wiggling near her, some weird feeling started to get to her spines. The chains that were used to wrap her body ended up being used well… as they pin her down to the cross she was carrying and tied her there, before the cross was lifted up.
And they did the same to Sayaka, Remi and Mako. With them being crucified like that, it made the sun light becoming more painful for them, they could get sunburn for long exposure. "Nnghh…!" Miki cursed at Radiguet, despite wriggling her arms to break away.
"Well, this will be your seats. You will witness something good from here…" As Radiguet said that, he swung his sword freely, cutting down one of the men with mindless eye on the hand. Once worms came out from the torn hand, it was then Miki, Sayaka and Mako realized what Radiguet has done. "Surprised? These were the men I let go yesterday." Radiguet boasted, "I spared their pathetic lives so I can turn them into these."
"Mmm… Mmmmgghh!" Mako yelled under her gag. Torturing her with her parents was one thing, but at this point, she was pretty sure that Radiguet was a total monster.
"Worry not, these are but the appetizer of what to come." Ahames boasted, while putting her hand to her mouth as she also started to feel squeamish on the worms. However, at that point, she finally looked below and saw four figures. "Looks like they've come."
"And this… is the main course." Radiguet said as he leapt down from the cliff and approached the four figures… the Super Sentai. "You kept your word. Good. As I expected from humans."
"Silence." Takeru said coldly, "We'll not just save the ladies. If able… we'll destroy you here." He looked at Mako and the rest and gave them a reassuring face that they will prevail. 'Just wait, I'll get you all out.' Mako tried to put a gladdened face to assure Takeru. "Let's go." He then said to the rest and they nodded, and prepared to transform…
"Ippitsu Soujou!"
"Blue Turbo!"
"Cross Changer!"
"Prism Flash! Shut Goggle!"
As the team transformed, they began to charge forward. Radiguet was alone, but he stood there, still confident like he could beat them. "You got guts to face us four alone!" Blue Turbo said to him, "But it's okay, because you're going down easier!"
"On the contrary…" Radiguet declared as he blocked the sword slashes of both Blue Turbo and Green Flash, "I alone will be enough to defeat you!" With that, he deflected the two, and to their shock, they hit an invisible wall.
"What…? ! Damn, must've been Ahames…!" Green Flash guessed and he was right on spot. Ahames has encased them in her Hard Wall, making their fight inescapable.
"What's the matter, Super Sentai…?" Jarmin taunted further, "If you do not even fight seriously, then…" Afterwards, one by one, she whipped the crucified ladies with her whip, making them wince in pain.
"Damn it, Jarmin…! You'll be sorry once I grab your hair and beat you up…! I won't hold back even though you're a woman!" Blue Turbo cursed, but that just meant that they had to fight harder. At that moment, after they were knocked back, Shinken Red and Black Condor already attacked Radiguet from behind with their swords, but Radiguet was quick enough to eventually gain the even ground.
"Is this all you can muster? Pathetic worms…" Radiguet taunted.
"Shut your trap!" Black Condor wouldn't let such taunt go like that. With his Wing Gauntlet on, he aimed at Radiguet and yelled, "Wing Beam!" With that, the gauntlet fired rays straight onto his face, causing an explosion…
And suddenly, Radiguet was gone, and in his place was his super powered form, the Radigan. He immediately choked Black Condor on the neck and smashed it onto the Hard Wall.
"That form…!" Shinken Red was reminded with how Radigan handed him a surprise defeat. This time, the time of payback has come, "I won't lose to that again! Rekka Daizantou!" He immediately turned his sword into the bigger one and swung to attack Radigan, damaging it. As he looked behind, he saw that backup was ready, thus he leapt.
"J-Machine Gun!"
"Green Vul!"
Blue Turbo and Green Flash blasted their guns to Radigan, blasting it. But he was still standing there. "Everyone on guard…!" Shinken Red rallied his team, "No matter what, we cannot give up, especially from the likes of him…!" The fight was far from over… but the Super Sentai would never give up.
Suddenly, a smirk got onto Ahames face as she suddenly snapped her finger. "Now! Nurujindan Bouma!" At that moment, Nurujindan Bouma leapt and stood above the Hard Wall. "Now is the time, Radiguet!"
"Mmm? !" Remi was shocked. It was this monster who was capable of turning the people into small statues to be processed into those walking worms in human skin. "Mmmmmhh! Mmmmggghh!" Shaking her head and struggling, she yelled, warning the team of the danger. But the team did not know what she truly meant… except Sayaka, who perceived that Remi must've known something horrible.
And at that point, Radigan knocked away the Super Sentai to a corner and stepped aside. Ahames then opened the Hard Wall for him to step aside and when the Super Sentai tried to pass, the wall closed. "What? ! Are you running away? !" Black Condor yelled.
"Hahahaha… You fell for it, Super Sentai!" Turning back to his normal form, the Vyram count laughed. "Now you will be like them, becoming a bunch of worms!"
"Wha…? !" Shinken Red said in shock and suddenly, when he looked up, he saw gas being unleashed by Nurujindan Bouma.
"Aaaahh!" Soon, scream filled the dome. And when the gas vanished, so did Shinken Red, Black Condor, Blue Turbo and Green Flash. All that remained were small statues of themselves.
"MMMMMMMFFF!" If Remi wasn't gagged, what would come out from her mouth was a blood-curling scream of anguish. Tears started to fall from her eyes as she knew what would happen. Miki, Sayaka and Mako could only look at her, worried. As soon as Radiguet returned to the top of the cliff, carrying the four small statues, the three shot him an angry glare.
"The process will take time for them. But once it's complete, your friends will be restored from this condition…" Radiguet explained as eventually a psychotic grin escaped his lips, "As those mindless beings formed by worms!" Hearing that, the ladies had their eyes wide open in shock. In a combination of anger, sadness and terror, they struggled with all their might and screamed curses under their gags, thinking that their friends were doomed with such state of becoming legions worms in human skin…
"I suppose it's time to depart…" Jarmin noted and as Radiguet nodded, everyone else were teleported into the villains' base.
"It's over! Victory is ours!" Radiguet yelled in triumph, towards Ahames, Juzou, Mazurka, Jarmin, Doldora and Lee Keflen, "The Super Sentai is no more!"
"Hmph, admittedly your plan is a little disgusting. But what matters is that you completed our mission." Lee Keflen said, "But what did you do to the women? Kill them?"
"No, let them stay the way they are. There's nothing they can do." Radiguet passed such thought, "In fact, I will let them watch as we spread the worms to the Earth… thus beginning our conquest which will go unimpeded without those pesky Super Sentai!"
"Hmph… so the fight is over…" Juzou said, slightly sad with the end of the battle, "There's nothing more to cut…"
"Hasn't that been our objective?" Mazurka assured him, "It has been our aim that we destroy the Super Sentai first so our conquest will not be hindered!" Juzou was slightly silent, but Jarmin did understand where he's coming from.
'You aim for a worthy fight. And if it's these normal humans… you wouldn't be satisfied…'
"For this occasion, I have prepared something for you all. For the destruction of Super Sentai!" As Radiguet exclaimed, he snapped his finger and from the ground, a table with seven glasses of wine appeared, where everyone else was picking them up… except Juzou, who wasn't quite in the mood. "You'll regret not taking one, Gedoushuu."
"Don't mind me." Juzou noted as he backed away.
"Regardless… Shortly, our invasion shall begin!" With that, Radiguet initiated that every of the villains would touch their glasses together in victory, "Cheers!"
However, even so, while the villains were celebrating, some still held their own ambitions high. 'Enjoy your happy moment, Radiguet… one day, you'll be open… and I'll be taking your place and everyone else's.' Ahames thought.
'Everyone else is enjoying themselves. But when they're distracted eventually… I will… heh heh heh…' Doldora also thought. In short, each villains were also plotting on their own.
Meanwhile, Miki, Sayaka, Remi and Mako were instead imprisoned in a huge torture chamber, sitting down in four chairs and still chained and gagged there. Thinking of how everything failed, and they were stuck prisoners, and the fate that befell to their allies crushed their hearts so much that the only thing they could do was to struggle with their bonds in futility, their voices muffled and tears of anguish couldn't stop pouring from their eyes.
'Takeru…'
'Youhei…'
'Gai…'
'Dai…'
In a flash, the heroics of the Super Sentai vanished and a dark age loomed over Earth…
Super Sentai vs Super Sentai… will co- GACK!
Radiguet's note: Okay, that's it! Show's over! We, the villains, won so there's nothing more for you to see! Get out! This is the end! Those Super Sentai turned to statues aren't duplicates like before! Get out!
What, you're still staying? Well fine, we'll extend for one more chapter. Let's just say an epilogue for you, you get to see how the Earth rots by our hands! Go ahead and stay tuned, you'll enjoy the last days of Earth! HAHAHAHAHA!
(P.S: Aside of the explained Gedoushuu half of Nurujindan Bouma, the Bouma half is from 'Gundan Bouma'. 'Gundan' here refers to 'Legion' and it refers to the Bibilical Legion which goes like 'We are Legion, for we are many')