Date: 24th December

Year: 2248 AD

The city was a bustling metropolis and at night lights lit up the darkness so that from an aerial view one would think they were looking at stars. Humans inhabited the city, either alone or together, looking for some form of entertainment. Couple went out on dates, visiting the local entertainment centers, and having some tasteful adult fun. Well, for the most part. It may seem prosperous but even in this day and age the homeless and penniless still made dark alleys their home without anything to their name except for the clothes on their backs.

On an empty street corner, an odd sight would soon visit the planet.

VROOMP!

VROOMP!

VROOMP!

That odd sound was heard but what exactly was making that sound? Slowly, a tall rectangular object was beginning to materialize on an empty street corner. It blinked in and out of existence before finally materializing fully into a solid form.

It was a phone booth to be precise; a 20th century, red telephone box, which was commonly seen in the UK. The windows were blackened, preventing anyone on the outside from looking in. Now, what would it be doing here? More importantly, how did it suddenly appear?

The door swung open and two men stepped out onto the sidewalk. One of them sported short silver hair and purple eyes. He wore a black, short-sleeved, buttoned shirt with a green neck tie which depicted a symbol resembling a lantern, a green vest and finally blue jeans with black and green trainers. The other wore his short blue hair with a centre-parting, the bangs hanging above his eyes as twin strands stuck out the top like antennae. His clothing comprised of a deep, blue, double-breasted jacket with long coat tails, and golden buttons. He wore black gloves. He also wore black pants with matching boots. Their names were Alan Smith and Shinichi Banabara, and while they did not share an obvious resemblance, the two were brothers.

"Are you sure this isn't Earth?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, according to the TARDIS' computer, no. This is one of Earth's colony planets," Alan informed his brother. "And look, it's Christmas time."

Alan was right. The city was decorated for the holidays. "Guess Christmas still exists even in the 23rd century."

"Well, let's check it out," said Shinichi as he patted his brother on the shoulder.

"One second." Alan took out a key and pressed a button on it to lock up the phone box. "Like a car."

"Yeah, hopefully nobody tries to carry it off," Shinichi remarked.

"Hey, they'd have to be as strong as me to carry it. It's got a Gravity Lock too so it's not going anywhere," said Alan confidently. "Now, come on!"

"Do we even have the currency for this era?" Shinichi asked as he followed.

"Oh, just use that universal credit card I gave you. It'll work anywhere!"

Despite being Christmas, the weather wasn't very cold. Granted, this was a different planet so that was probably the reason. Alan said that by the late 22nd century Earth had become so polluted that it had become uninhabitable. As a result, humanity all moved to colony worlds while work was being done to make the Earth habitable again.

Shinichi peered at the shop window that sold pastries and smiled at the assorted Christmas cakes. Girls were wearing sexy Santa costumes in an attempt to sell and one of them smiled at Shinichi and went to persuade him to come and buy one. She was cute, with curly brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. There was nothing wrong with buying a cake, right?

Alan, meanwhile, was looking at the toy stores. Since it was Christmas Eve people were doing some last minute shopping to get gifts for their loved ones. At this time toy companies made a fortune from all the merchandise that would leave the shelves. "Hm…I wonder if the kids would like some future toys." He looked around for Shinichi and spotted him exiting a cake store with four boxes of cake. Shaking his head as his brother approached he asked, "What happened?"

"I couldn't refuse a cute girl when she recommended these cakes," said Shinichi. "I sure hope the TARDIS' fridge has space."

"It's bigger on the inside," Alan deadpanned. "It always has space."

"So, what do you think of this place?" Shinichi asked.

"Well, it's cold but not too cold," Alan answered.

"Not a problem for you though," Bazel added.

"It's like any other city, with the usual problems like homeless people living in alleys. Technology may have advanced but humans still remain the same," Alan finished.

"So, if it's the same that means…" Shinichi grinned. He grabbed Alan's wrist. "Let's go! I got a map that shows us the best places to hang out!"

"Do these places involve scantily clad girls dancing and bouncing for our entertainment?" Alan asked dryly.

"And lap dances! Don't forget the lap dances!" Shinichi added, grinning from ear-to-ear.

As Shinichi dragged his brother along, they did not notice a group of Santas watching them. The Santas were playing instruments, playing Christmas carols, and were wearing masks.

"The Pink Pussycat!" Shinichi grinned as he looked up at the Strip Club which had a neon sign depicting a sexy catgirl's outline. "Come on, let's go in!" They went up to the door where a bouncer stood in their way.

"ID," the bouncer asked.

Alan took out what looked like a green, leather travel card case and flipped it open as he said, "We're old enough, thank you." The large bouncer inspected the item and let both Alan and Shinichi in.

"Good old psychic paper," Shinichi grinned as they walked along a dark corridor which was lit up by pink lights along the ceiling.

"Well, it'd be embarrassing if we got kicked out before we got in," Alan shrugged.

They exited as they pushed past curtains and Shinichi grinned, declaring, "HELLO LADIES!"

It was what one would expect of a Strip Club, with a bar that sold drinks but Shinichi wasn't interested in the drinks. He was more interested in the ladies. The dancers were all entertaining the clientele, clad in bikinis and lingerie that left little to the imagination. Loud music played in the place and there was a disco ball above the stage where the main show was being performed. Men paid for table dances or lap dances, just admiring the beautiful bodies of all the girls. They were all kinds, different skin-tones, hair color, and ethnicity. Of course there was an apparent theme as the girls all wore fake cat ears atop their heads. The waitresses also wore black vests with nothing underneath, collars with bells on them, short leather skirts, fishnet stockings, and wore high heels. They were wearing the cat ears as well as they served the clients their drinks.

Both Shinichi and Alan went to the bar. "So, what will you be having?" the bartender asked.

"What do you recommend?" Shinichi asked.

"For you, handsome, anything," the bartender winked at Shinichi before whipping up a cocktail. Shinichi's eyes widened and he looked to his brother.

"Did he just…?"

"Yes," Alan confirmed. "Yes, he did."

"Two Pussycat Specials for the handsome gentlemen," the bartender served. "Enjoy!" The drinks were served in crystal glasses and were glowing bright pink. The two took their glasses and toasted before downing them.

"Wow!" Shinichi let out in amazement. "Strong stuff!"

"Very strong stuff," Alan agreed. He had strong tolerance for alcohol due to his physiology. "Let's just enjoy the entertainment."

A spotlight shone on stage as a loud voice from the speakers was heard, "AND NOT, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, OUR BEST GIRLS IN THE HOUSE! THE LOVELY ANGELS! KEI AND YURI!"

The cheers from the patrons were deafening, overpowering the music itself as it played and the Lovely Angels came onto the stage to perform their dance for their fans. The one identified as Kei was a voluptuous girl in her late teens, sporting spiky, red hair with bleached blonde bangs. Her skin was a lovely tanned color and she was wearing crimson lingerie, with black stockings held up by a garter belt. Her partner, Yuri, had beauty and a body rivaling her partner, dressed in a blue bikini with thigh-high boots. She had long violet hair and an innocent look but that just made her desirable. As the music played, the girls danced in perfect synchronization, making all the men drool as their curves were being stared at hungrily. Every bounce was followed and when the girls went to the poles, the girls showed their skills that really got the crowd roaring for more.

"And they haven't even taken their clothes off," Alan said.

Shinichi commented, "I'd like to see them do that."

The girls had yet to remove even one strand of fabric from their bodies and when the music ended, the crowd applauded and cheered, whistling loudly at the Lovely Angels.

"Hey, what's the deal with these girls?" Shinichi asked the bartender.

The bartended answered, "Oh, Kei and Yuri? They joined the club a month ago and have been really good for business. Their only condition was that they wouldn't appear naked to anyone and nobody seems to mind at all. Those girls don't have to strip to have the guys coming. Did you see their dance? I could sense the fire and passion from over here!"

"Do they do private dances?" Shinichi asked.

"You'll get your chance, coz here they come," the bartender pointed.

Alan was dragging Shinichi out of the strip club by his ear as the bluenette struggled in vain. "Ow! Alan! Ow! You're gonna pull it off!" Alan wore a blush and a scowl as he released Shinichi and rounded up on him. "What was that for?"

"You tried to pay for lap dances for the both of us," Alan reminded, crossed. "I can tolerate going into a strip club, but only the women I love get to give me a lap dance."

"Well, sorry," Shinichi muttered, rolling his eyes. "So, wanna go get some grub?" Shinichi suggested.

Kei and Yuri exited the club together, the tanned girl groaning, "Man…I'm exhausted." They were dressed modestly now with Kei sporting a black tank top, red jacket and red short while Yuri wore a blue turtleneck and a white pleated skirt.

"And still nowhere near our goal," sighed Yuri. She then grinned as she flashed her friend several small sheets of paper, "But I got phone numbers!"

"Yuri, now's not the time for dates. Besides, I bet those guys are only interested in your body," Kei remarked. Yuri frowned but kept the numbers anyway. If they had paid attention, they would've noticed a black van was following them.

Alan and Shinichi were standing in front of the red phone box as Alan opened the door. "Come on, it's time we go."

"Right…" Shinichi sighed. "This is my fault, isn't it? Because of the strip club?"

Alan didn't answer but his hearing picked up something. He shut the phone box's door. "Come on!" Alan shouted as he ran. Shinichi, not questioning his brother's action, followed. They came across a scene as men in black suits had grabbed two girls, two familiar girls. They were the dancers from the Pink Pussycat, the Lovely Angels Kei and Yuri. Acting quickly, Alan jumped and kick one of the men hard in the head, prompting him to release Kei and dropping him to the ground. Shinichi attacked as well and punched the guy holding Yuri in the face, knocking him out.

"Are you two OK?" Alan asked the girls.

"We're fine," Yuri smiled. "Thank you."

Kei knelt down and put high tech handcuffs on both goons.

"You're not really exotic dancers, are you?" Shinichi asked. "Some kind of law enforcement group, right?"

"We're with the 3WA," Yuri admitted. She admired the two young men standing in front of her. They were really cute and she wouldn't mind dating either of them.

"Yuri, we're supposed to be undercover!" snapped Kei.

"Undercover?" Alan repeated. Kei slapped herself in the forehead.

The girls, Kei and Yuri went to a diner to discuss things. The two girls were agents of the 3WA, which stood for Worlds Works and Welfare Agency, a law enforcement agency that would solve crimes and mysteries. The two girls explained their mission to both Alan and Shinichi. They didn't know why but they felt like they could trust them.

"So, girls from strip clubs have been disappearing and you girls went undercover to find out why," said Alan.

"Yeah, that's right," confirmed Kei. "Those goons would've taken us to their HQ."

"And then what?" Alan asked. Kei took out her gun and showed it to him.

"Whaddya think?"

"So, go in, shoot the bad guys, save the day," Shinichi listed. "That's a normal day for you?" He liked this girl.

"Pretty much," sighed Yuri, "And Kei's here very trigger happy."

"My brother's the same," commented Alan.

Kei cocked an eyebrow incredulously and pointed back and forth between Alan and Shinichi, "You're both brothers? For real?"

"He takes after his mother," Alan answered. "So, you girls got any leads, besides getting kidnapped?"

"Well, we have a suspect. Some local crime boss called Augustus Cornelius. He owns several businesses in the city and is loaded. We can't arrest him until we find proof," said Kei.

"Know where he lives?" Alan asked.

"Just some skyscraper. Lives on the top floor," Kei answered.

Alan and Shinichi shared knowing looks and smiled.

A van pulled up in front of the tall skyscraper building owned by Cornelius Augustus. The door opened and two men dressed in black suits walked out. They opened the back and carried Yuri and Kei out, draping them over the shoulders.

"We got the girls the boss wants," one of them said to the guard at the door who let them in. The two carried Yuri and Kei into the elevator and the door closed. Yuri and Kei woke up and stood up as Alan and Shinichi pressed the buttons on their watches to resume their normal appearance.

"You gotta love holographic disguises," grinned Shinichi.

"Now, let's pay Mr. Cornelius a visit." They turned their disguises back on.

They came to a stop at the top floor and the door opened. They walked with Kei and Yuri towards the only door at the end of the hallway and knocked.

"Come in," the person on the other side answered and Alan pushed the door open.

Cornelius was dressed in a robe with a belt around his waist to keep it closed and slippers. He had a glass of wine in hand. He also had a belly, had no head of hair, and was at least in his 50's.

"Ah, the new girls," smiled Cornelius as he smiled, licking his gold teeth like a hungry animal. "And they look so delicious." He dismissed the men in black. "You may go now."

"I don't think so," said Kei as she took out her gun and aimed at Cornelius, "In the name of 3WA you're under arrest!"

"Trouble consultants?" Cornelius uttered in shock and betrayal as he stared at his two men only for them to reveal that they weren't his men, but strangers in disguise once the holograms shut off. "Now, what am being arrested for?"

"For kidnapping," Kei accused as she and Yuri approached Cornelius to arrest him. Alan noticed something and was alarmed.

"Girls, stop!" Alan shouted, halting the Lovely Angel's advance.

"What's the big deal?" Kei demanded hotly.

"Count the shadows," Alan instructed them.

"What?" the girls repeated in confusion but Shinichi understood the words and looked down.

The four of them each had two shadows.

"What?" Yuri gaped.

"Don't move!" Alan moved. "Move, and they'll kill you!"

"What will kill us?" Kei demanded. "They're just shadows!"

"The Shadows that Melt the Flesh," corrected Alan. "Also known as…Vashta Nerada." Vashta Nerada were carnivorous microscopic organisms that attacked in swarms. A lone Vashta Nerada was harmless, but a whole swarm of them was incredibly dangerous.

Augustus Cornelius complimented, grinning with his mouth of gold teeth, "So you know what they are." He too had two shadows but he didn't seem all too concerned.

"How are you controlling the Vashta Nerada?" questioned Shinichi.

"Oh, I've paid a few scientists to make this little device here," said Augustus Cornelius, pointing at his earring. "It lets me control their simple little minds so they'll do anything I say."

"Your own invisible bodyguards," Alan concluded. "Anyone that gets close to you gets eaten."

"EATEN!-?" Kei and Yuri shrieked.

"They're called the Piranhas of the Air for a reason," Alan informed the 3WA agents. "They can strip the flesh right off the bone in seconds."

Augustus Cornelius explained, "When I first came across them, they were being held in a lab for study. I mean I couldn't believe my eyes. The speed and ferocity was unlike anything I've ever seen. They were better than attack dogs. I had to have them but I also needed them to be completely docile. But, they're only docile as long as I keep them fed."

"Feed them? With what?" Yuri asked, but she dreaded the answer.

"People, he's fed the Vashta Nerada with people," Alan answered.

"Anyone who has ever tried to go up against me has been killed by my little pets," said Cornelius. "Oh, and it's supper time, meaning my little friends are hungry." He ordered, "Start with the men. I'll let you have the girls after I've had them." He leered lecherously as Yuri and Kei, licking his lips, imagining the perverse things he would do to them like he'd done to so many girls. Then when he would sell them and make a profit from them. They looked so young and sexy that any man would pay a fortune to have them as sex slaves.

"Cornelius, listen to me!" Alan shouted, "The Vashta Nerada are dangerous! One day they will turn on you!"

"Well, thankfully it's not today," Cornelius retorted.

"You still have a chance, you know," said Shinichi, reigning in his anger at this man who did horrible things to women for his twisted pleasure and profit. "Just give yourself up and you can walk out of here safely."

Cornelius laughed, "You're in no position to be making demands! You're about to become food for my little pets!"

"Then I'm sorry for this," said Alan as he took out his Sonic Screwdriver and pointed it at Cornelius. He pressed a button and the crime boss' earring sparked, causing him to cry out in pain.

At the same time, the additional shadows vanished from Alan, Yuri, Kei and Shinichi's feet.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!-?" Cornelius shouted in horror. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!-?"

"You've done horrible things, Augustus Cornelius," said Alan coldly, "It's time you suffer the consequences." He took Kei's hand as Shinichi took Yuri's, leading them out of Cornelius' office and shutting the door behind them. The man screamed were suddenly silent as Alan and Shinichi hung their heads.

"What happened?" Yuri asked.

"It's over," Alan concluded. He opened the door and peered inside. He sighed. "They really do live up to their name." Kei pushed past him and was frozen in horror at what she saw. Cornelius' clothes were ripped to shreds. As for the crime boss, he'd been reduced to bones. Yuri also looked inside and gasped. Alan walked over and put a hand on Kei's shoulder.

"That's what happens when you mess with the Vashta Nerada," Alan said.

The Lovely Angels, aka the Dirty Pair, walked out of the building with both Shinichi and Alan.

"I've called HQ and they'll be sending people over," said Kei. "They won't find much except for what's left of Cornelius. Those Vashta Nanada are nasty."

"Vashta Nerada," Alan corrected, "And you're right."

"But they're on the loose now," said Yuri. "Shouldn't we be worried?"

"The Vashta Nerada are at home in the forest so they'll likely migrate and find a new home for themselves. You might wanna avoid camping and hiking," Shinichi said.

"But if it's a forest, they have plenty to eat," Alan added, "And will leave people alone, hopefully."

"Hopefully?" Kei repeated incredulously.

"Just remember to count the shadows," warned Alan. "Come on, Shinichi."

As the two mem turned to leave, Yuri asked, "So, who exactly are you two?"

The two brothers stopped and looked over their shoulders to answer, "Just a couple of strangers passing through."

They entered the red phone box and it was a fantastic sight to behold. The walls were metallic grey and the floor was covered in tatami. In the centre was a circular console with buttons, dials, knobs, levels and screens attached surrounding a glass column that touched the ceiling. The interior had to be many, many, many times larger than its exterior would suggest.

This was Alan's TARDIS. T-A-R-D-I-S: Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. It was a vehicle capable of travelling through time and space and an invention of Time Lord science. Alan had made his TARDIS from scratch and this was currently the Mark 4 model which he'd built. Unlike regular TARDIS, this one was capable of traveling across dimensions, and not just through time and space. They could travel to any place and at any time period in the Multiverse.

"With luck the 3WA will find incriminating evidence about Cornelius' company, arrest his accomplices, and find those missing girls. Then they'll help those girls recover from the trauma," Alan said.

"Couldn't we have stayed?" Shinichi asked. "It's Christmas."

"I know," Alan nodded, "But we've already overstayed our welcome. Come on, it's time we go."

"So, where do we go next?" Shinichi asked, crossing his arm as he leaned against the wall.

"The Multiverse is a huge place, and we have all of space and time to travel," Alan answered. "But first let's pick up the girls from the resort planet."

"Right, the girls," nodded Shinichi.

"Well…Allons-y!" Alan shouted as he activated the TARDIS' engine.

"Ikuze!" added Shinichi.

KAMENR RIDER CHROME: SINCE SHADOW ELEMENT 13 AND I ARE DOCTOR WHO FANS, I WROTE THIS LITTLE "CHRISTMAS PRESENT" JUST FOR HIM. IT'S PRETTY MUCH A TEASER FOR A NEW SERIES OF STORIES INVOLVING ADVENTURE, TIME, SPACE AND THE MULTIVERSE.