I do not own Kamen Rider or Illbleed. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you like it then please read on. If you don't like it then you can look elsewhere for a more befitting story. For those that remain, please enjoy.
Not For Your Amusement
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Characters borrowed from Kamen Rider Chrome
The village of Hinamizawa was dealing with another normal day, which was considered something of a blessing considering the kind of excitement that tended to happen now and then for the past while. Robot animal men, demons, psychopaths, and people dressed up in insect-themed armor. It had gotten to the point that actually having nothing happening was considered a good day.
It was the day that the Hinamizawa Game Club was taking full advantage of. Picking out a nice gentle hill, they were all laying on their backs and looking up at the clouds. Rena had suggested it as a game to see who could find the cutest one, but it was just more of an excuse to start cloud gazing and enjoy a lazy day. The only one not in attendance was Mion who had called the meeting but was running late for some reason.
"I see a bunny!" Satoko chirped.
"I see a bird!" Keiichi offered, keeping quiet over the clouds he did see that looked like boobs to him.
"I see Rena-chan," Shinichi snickered, not looking up but instead to the side where his girlfriend lay next to him.
"Hau!" Rena blushed, "Shin-kun!"
All in all, a day where the Gaming Club was happy that they were all together, not threatening to be torn apart (both literally and figuratively) by the likes of GIN-SHOCKER.
"Minna!"
The moment was broken when they looked up and spotted Mion running towards them looking like she just won the lottery. As she got closer, she noticed that she had several slips of red paper clenched tightly in her hands. Once she was close enough, she took a moment to catch her breath, leaning on her knees for support.
"What's up, Mion?" asked Keiichi. "You're the one who called us all in and then you're the one who's late."
"It….took me...longer...than I...thought...to get these," Mion panted, slowly reclaiming her breath.
"Get what?" asked Satoshi, sitting up.
"These!" Mion grinned, thrusting out her hand with seven red tickets that on closer inspection were admission tickets like one might see for an amusement park. "Say hello to our tickets into the most terrifying theme park in the world! Illbleed!"
"Ill-what?" asked Shinichi, Satoko, Rika, and Hanyuu all at once.
"Illbleed?!" Satoshi, Shion, Rena, and Keiichi cried out in awe.
"You're talking about Illbleed, right?" Keiichi asked excitedly. "The horror-themed amusement park created and designed by the famous American director Michael Reynolds? That Illbleed?!"
"The very same, Kei-chan!" Mion grinned.
Keiichi began to cheer, praising the heavens for being able to have a ticket to said park, but Shinichi just continued to scratch his head, "Okay...I'm a little lost here. What's Illbleed? Who's Michael Reynolds?"
"Who's Michael Re-!" Keiichi began as if Shinichi had something blasphemous, but then stopped when he realized who had asked, "Oh yeah, with all the Kamen Rider stuff you haven't kept up with movies and that kind of thing have you?"
"No need to rub it in," Shinichi pouted, making Rena giggle. "So can you tell me or what?"
"Gladly!" Keiichi grinned. "You see, Michael Reynolds is a really, really, really famous horror movie director from America. He's like...like...the Akira Kurosawa of American Horror! His movies have won every kind of award for horror imaginable! It's rumored that some of his sets are so terrifying by the end of it, some actors won't sign under him again no matter how much they're offered!"
"O...kay," Shinichi nodded, not used to seeing Keiichi so enthusiastic over something that didn't involve boobs. Then again, considering what he knew about American movies… "So, what's Illbleed got to do with this guy?"
"It's his brainchild! The culmination of all his years of experience!" Keiichi began to pant from his excitement. "The whole park is themed after his works where we just don't see them, we live it! We explore areas based off of his sets and get chased by his creations for our lives! It's said that the line between fantasy and reality gets warped where we actually fear for our lives!"
"Sounds...great…" Shinichi frowned.
"The basis of the park is kind of mired in controversy in America, so Reynolds let the countries of the world where his films do the best put up bids to have Illbleed built there. And guess which country won the bid? That's right, Japan!"
"So we're going to Tokyo, Onee?" asked Shion.
"Actually, no," Mion shook her head. "It turns out Illbleed needs a ridiculous amount of space to be built properly so it had to be put up in a more secluded area, but guess what the closest town is?"
"No...way…" Satoshi gaped. "Okinomiya?"
"Just a few miles out, but the lineup is probably that long by now! Everyone wants a ticket, especially with the prize on the line!" Mion squealed.
"Ano...prize?" asked Hanyuu.
"Illbleed is reported to be so terrifying, no one is capable of going on every single ride there. The most anyone has reportedly managed to get through is two, maybe three of them. After that, they can't stand anymore and make a run for it!" Mion explained. "So Michael Reynolds says that the first person who can get through all the rides in the park will win one hundred million American dollars!"
"WOAH!" the group gasped.
"That can't be true," Satoshi gasped, trying not to think of how the money could help him and Satoko.
"Says right here on the back of the ticket!" Mion grinned, flashing the papers in question, revealing in gothic script that indeed $100,000,000 would be handed to the first person who could get through all the rides.
"Wait," Shinichi frowned, trying not to get distracted by the sheer amount of cash being offered. "I get how a guy can have that much money if he's as famous as you say, but what's this about a controversy about the park?"
"Oh, that," Keiichi nodded. "Well you see, the prototype Illbleed built in America suffered a few problems. Some of the animatronic guys and suit actors got a little overzealous with the controls or their acts and ended up hurting some people and they say someone died from a heart attack brought on by fear or something. A journalist called the place a deathtrap and tried to blame it for the number of missing people in America but no one believed him."
"That sounds like the opening of an American Horror film to me," Shion shivered.
"Ah, it's okay," Mion waved off her sister's concern. "Japanese safety inspectors went over the place with a fine-tooth comb. Everything from the machines to the actors' equipment, to the safety procedures were all given the green light. It's perfectly safe, even if people won't sleep well afterward."
"Ha! After the stuff we've seen from the Darkloids and Gin-Shocker this will be a breeze!" Keiichi grinned. "The only question will be who can get through first? We can make a race out of it!"
"Great!" Satoko chirped. "So when can we go?"
"Oh no!" Mion's mood turned stern as she looked at the three little ones. "You three aren't going! Illbleed is way too intense for you three! You'd have nightmares until you're thirty if you went to this place as young as you are!"
"Hau…" Hanyuu sighed, but it was in relief rather than disappointment.
"But...but...Nee-nee?" Satoko mumbled, looking to Shion.
"No, Onee is right. Maybe when you're older," Shion shook her head, making Satoko huff and cross her arms.
"Sorry, Rika-chan," Shinichi shrugged helplessly. He knew Rika was older than she looked, mentally at least, but with her tiny body, no one would really believe her. Likewise with Hanyuu despite being a goddess.
"It's okay. Tell us good stories when you get back and we'll call it even, Nipah!" Rika smiled.
"Great!" Mion nodded, glad that the younger girls weren't too disappointed. "The grand opening is tomorrow guys! Let's all meet up and not miss a thing!"
"YOSH!"
(LINE BREAK)
Illbleed - Front Gates
Mion hadn't been kidding when she said Illbleed was left in an isolated place. There was so much distance between it and Okinomiya that the town had charted special transit buses so that tourists and people with tickets could get to the park without trouble. Every parking space in town was filled up and some of the farmers were even allowing the tourists to park in their open space since it wasn't the growing season yet.
The lineup had been brutal even when the Gaming Club all got up early and were driven straight to the front gates by Kasai, there was a huge lineup waiting for them. Among the crowds were dozens of foreigners, all from different countries. Many of them were just waiting for Illbleed to hit the international scene so they could go and try it out. Of course, plenty of people were only there to try for the prize money at the end of the park. As with lineups though, it was slow going since half the time people had only just gotten there and had to pay for their tickets on the spot. That just slowed everyone down and made them irritable. It was worse when some of the foreign visitors obviously didn't know the going rate of Yen or couldn't speak Japanese at all and had to stumble through a phrasebook.
Shinichi let his eyes wander as Rena got the jitters, wondering what kind of things they might run into. The lineup ran along the fence surrounding the place on one side and a deep forest on the other. The fence looked like the cast iron kind only a cemetery would sport, enhancing the creep factor for everyone. Along the walls and incidentally helping hid the view of the park and attractions were several movie posters depicting disgusting monsters and terrifying killers. Several of the titles went along the lines of The Homerun of Death, Ohnoman, Bullstinger, Killerman, Killer Department Store, Revenge of the Queen Worm, Woodpuppets, and Interstate 666. The titles were a little corny in Shinichi's opinion, but Michael Reynolds had been making films since the fifties so the titles fit with the themes of the times.
There were also several posters with several of the rules about the park. The elderly and the very young weren't allowed no matter what. Children had to be at least ten years old to enter the park, but they couldn't go on the rides until they were teenagers. People with extreme phobias or on medical prescriptions were advised not to take part in the rides as well. At the bottom of the list of rules, but probably the most eye-catching of all was the final warning: Actors have been paid to mingle in the park and be part of groups in the rides. The antagonists will target them and no one else. No one is being hurt, no one is in danger, and no one will be harmed. It is all for just show and for the entertainment of the guests.
Shinichi nodded, happy at all the warnings and apparent precautions that the park was taking to make sure everyone was prepared for the scares ahead and no one would be able to flip out and hurt someone by accident. If one of the antagonist players went after Rena, even if only an act, he would have reacted and tried to punch someone. If actors were only going after actors then he wouldn't have to worry.
Finally reaching the admission booth, which looked like a cycloptic head/altar with torches on either side, the Gaming Club approached the attendant and had to blink. The person at the booth looked like a crash test dummy which was scorched and had bloodstains on his plastic limbs, wearing a burned orange jumpsuit with more bloodstains on it.
"Oh wow! it's Dummyman!" Keiichi gasped.
"Who?" asked Shinichi.
"He's one of Michael Reynolds' most famous characters!" Keiichi grinned. "He's spawned the most sequels all over the world! The story of the crash test dummy brought to life after a crash test engineer was murdered to cover up substandard work. His angry soul possessed the test dummy he died with before going on a killing spree!"
"Hau!" Rena trembled.
"Yeah, that's nice," Mion nodded, impatient to finally get into the park. "Just hand over your tickets so we can get in already!"
The Gaming Club approached the booth as one, handing Dummyman their tickets. The living dummy glanced at them all before one by one took their tickets and punched them into an unseen machine. There was a humming noise before something behind Dummyman before flashed seven times over. The group blinked, confused and a little weirded out before Dummyman picked up seven pieces of plastic and gave them to each of them. They were dark blue with black, making the image of a ghost on the back. On the cards were pictures of each member, all of them looking surprised. Pictured on the cards were the words Visitor's Pass as well as the names of the people the cards were meant for as well as small information like hair color, eye color, and occupations, Hinamizawa Gaming Club.
"Wow, how'd they know this?" asked Satoshi.
"I booked us as a group," Mion grinned. "I had to fill in some information to get all the tickets since buying them in bulk like this couldn't be done one by one. They even called Chie-sensei to confirm we're a real club otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get these."
"Thorough, but I guess they don't want to deal with scalpers," Shinichi nodded before lifting a thumb to the attendant. "Good job Dummyman!"
Dummyman nodded back before he pointed to the front gates of the amusement park. It looked like a cemetery gate with the words written in iron on top:
Michael Reynolds'
Virtual Reality Theme Park
ILLBLEED
The Gaming Club approached the front gates where a Dummyman was on either side, looking serious and dressed up like security guards, prompting Keiichi to gasp, "Like in Dummyman 3: Drive of the Living Dummies!" One was watching the group with eyes like a hawk, even if there were no visible eyes. The other was holding up a sign: Keep your passes on you at all times. They will allow you into all attractions as well as keep track of which attractions you pass. Pluck your courage and aim for the goal! If you leave the park, magnetic barriers hidden at all exits will destroy them and erase your progress as well as your permission to enter.
The group approached the watching Dummyman and they flashed their visitor passes. The Security Dummyman looked over each card before waving the group through one by one. Finally, the group was in the park and traveled down the gravel cemetery pathways.
The immediate area was decorated with more gravel pathways with two statues, one depicting a large black bloody coffin standing up with an eye and a fanged mouth with wide lips. The other one was a bloody black cross with a large eye in the center. They stood on either side of a four-way path and the corners of the square area were decorated with tombstones. The edges of the area were all line with stone garden walls with lit lanterns at each exit. Despite the sun in the air, the atmosphere of the park turned into an immediate grim sense of anticipation.
"Creepy already. I like it!" Mion grinned.
"So what shall we do first?" asked Shion, noticeably clutching Satoshi's arm.
"Hm," Keiichi frowned. Looking around, he saw a crypt-like building which had a Dummyman in a newsboy outfit complete with a brown news cap tending to stacks of papers. Splitting from the group, he hopped over a few tombstones before approaching the Dummyman, "Uh...are any of these papers maps to the park?"
The Dummyman looked up from his stacking and nodded. Reaching into a pile, he pulled out a fold-up guide and handed it over to Keiichi. The boy began to reach for his wallet, but Dummyman then lifted a sheet of paper: All flyers and pamphlets are free for visitors.
"Oh, thanks!" Keiichi grinned. Heading back to his friends, he opened up the guide and quickly found a map looking over the entire park. "Okay guys, this is the map for the entire park. Right now we're in the Main Welcoming Area."
"Says that the shopping center to our right," Mion read, pointing over to the group's right where a series of buildings were set up with neon signs, making a strange contrast between the gothic architecture and the bright signs. "Hm, seems like Okinomiya invested in a few stores up here along with some originals from the park itself."
"Holy cow, there's even an inn!" Satoshi gasped. "Why have one here? Is this Disneyland Tokyo or something?"
"Well, maybe it's because so many people will want the reward money?" suggested Rena. "If they leave, they can't come back later without starting all over."
"If the rides are as scary as I think, I wouldn't want to go through them twice," Keiichi grinned.
"Onee, am I reading this right? That the building to our left is a hospital?" Shion frowned. The group looked to the left where a stone stairway rose up to a stone walkway where another gothic building stood. One side had neon letters pronouncing E.R. while the other side said Infirmary.
"Seems so," Mion frowned, reading over the explanation to the hospital. "Oh, here's why. Due to unfortunate incidents during our prototype run in America, we have established a fully stocked, funded hospital with a fully-trained staff in case any injuries from accidents in the rides happen or a visitor suffers from a shock-based affliction and needs immediate treatment."
"Wow, so this place is really that scary?" asked Rena.
"Looks like it," Shinichi nodded, surprised at how far the park was going to protect the visitors. Were the exhibits that extreme that they needed a hospital nearby in case something went wrong? Shinichi wasn't sure if that was extremely cool or just plain worrying. "So what's ahead of us then?"
"The Cinema Zone. That's where the rides all are," Keiichi answered, reading through explanations. "Just past that is Michael Reynolds' Horror Museum which exhibits absolutely everything that he did during his lengthy career. A film buff's dream!"
"Anything on the prize money bit?" asked Mion.
"Um...here," Keiichi continued, moving to one of the sides of the paper. He read for a few moments before nodding, "Okay, this whole deal is a little more complicated than the initial ads made us think."
"Thought so," Shinichi rolled his eyes. "What is it?"
"Okay, the rides aren't as simple as stepping into a building and following a path to the exit. The whole ride is an ambient walk with goals and purposes. It's actually like living the adventure rather than being guided through it," Keiichi explained. "We're free to get out at any time so long as there's a way out. Once you go past the boundaries of the ride, nothing in there can catch you anymore. The penalty is that you have to start over."
"Okay, so how do we clear it?" asked Satoshi.
"Well, each ride works on a horror theme and to pass it you have to follow the clues provided in documents, maybe some items or special events which can happen whenever you look for them and time things right. You then have to confront the antagonist of the ride and beat them using the information you discovered or items you found that can specifically do the job. Once you do that, you find the goal and pass through using your visitor card. The information will be recorded and you'll be one step closer to winning the prize."
"So then let's get started!" Mion cheered.
"Can't," Keiichi replied. "The contest isn't due to start until three hours from now at noon where Michael Reynolds is going to welcome the first bunch of guests and tell some of the rules of the game."
"Ah. Okay," Mion huffed. "So why don't we go shopping then?"
"Better than the Kids Area," Shinichi muttered.
The Gaming Club elders walked up to the Shopping area which looked almost like a stereotypical main street, but with a horror theme to it. All of the buildings were gothic with neon signs, making them look creepy. The funny thing was that they gave out perfectly mundane wares like souvenirs, clothes, food, etc. Only two shops were original, one being Dummyman's World Inn and the other called Bloody Mary's Pharmacy and Variety.
The girls were quite taken with some of the clothing stores, all of them were surprisingly stylish. The clothes were all based off outfits worn by heroines in Reynolds' movies through the ages and made for lighter wallets for all the boys when their girls all bought at least one outfit. One of the stores also carried a remastered collection of Reynolds' films. Keiichi bankrupted himself for it, but he bought it.
The shopping area was crowded, everyone having no place else to go aside from the Children's Area and with no one older than ten but under thirteen there it was likely a ghost town. It was almost a struggle to get to one of the eating areas, but the group snatched up a table for themselves so they could get something to eat. Keiichi began enlightening his friends over some of Reynolds' highlights while they ate up the last amount of time before the big release of the rides and the contest.
Keiichi's explanation behind Reynolds' fifth Oscar nomination happened when an explosion cut through everything and a pillar of black smoke rose up into the air. People screamed and backed away, looking terrified. Shinichi was halfway to standing up and preparing to call 'henshin' when he saw the smoke clear and a figure standing in the middle of it.
He stood tall and proud in a green business suit with a bright red tie. The ordinary image was ruined after that by the long purple gnarled hands with sharp nails. His face was even weirder, being covered with purple fur with a glowing ball attached to a tendril growing from the top of his head. Even weirder was no facial features with two black ball-like eyes. Completing the look was a yellow scar which stretched across his face.
"Welcome, welcome, one and all!" the strange man announced in flawless Japanese, raising his hands into the air. "I am your ever so horrifying host Michael Reynolds! Welcome one and all to my terrifying, horrifying Illbleed!"
"That's...the American director?" asked Mion.
Shinichi blinked, "What's with the costume?" It looked like something GIN-SHOCKER could've had as a Kaijin.
"It's from his first film!" Keiichi gushed. "He acted before he directed and his first role was in Sea Anemones from Outer Space! The movie was a flop, but it's what inspired him to make better horror in the future!"
Reynolds continued to walk through the parting crowd, looking them all over. If he was pleased or grouchy, no one could tell with the mask he was wearing, "I know you are all eager to experience what my park has to offer so I will be brief. First of all, my contest is very true. The first person who clears all of the rides in the park and meets me in my museum I will award them one hundred million dollars American! Forgive my unfamiliarity with the Yen. I am still new to your wonderful country. So many new experiences."
People murmured excitedly, but stopped when Reynolds continued, "Now for the rules of the game! Each ride is an ambient experience, meaning you simply cannot follow a selected path in and out! You must explore, discover, and investigate all the while avoiding the antagonists and being eliminated by them."
"Eliminated?" asked Shinichi with a frown.
"My rides are filled with traps and the main antagonist who will be working their best at eliminating the visitors," Reynolds continued. "During your investigations, the antagonists will attack and possibly make off with someone. That person is hereby eliminated and their visitor's card will be destroyed. They can always try again in twenty-four hours if no one manages to claim the prize before then."
"That wasn't in the rules," Keiichi frowned, looking at the pamphlet again.
"Don't want to make it too easy and it would feel like a real horror movie that way," Satoshi nodded.
Reynolds kept his speech going, "If your investigative efforts prove fruitful, you will be led to a final confrontation with the antagonist of the ride. Play your cards right, keep a calm head under fire, and you will overcome the antagonist and reach the goal! You will need your Visitor Pass to undo the lock on the exit, which will record the victory in our systems. Once you pass all of the rides, come and meet me at my Museum. The final challenge can be found there. Pass that, and the money shall be yours!"
The guests really began to get excited, not that the true fans of Reynolds weren't already excited at seeing the man and snapping off pictures as much as possible. The Gaming Club weren't immune to the enthusiasm as they all leaned in close and began murmuring plans that they had on how to lead through the rides and keep together so they would have a shot at the money. Shinichi had to remind Keiichi and Satoshi that his Kamen Rider powers would not be allowed in the game since that would be cheating. They would have to rely on their own deductive powers and nerve in the face of terror. Despite his concern over Rena, Shinichi was finding himself looking forward to trying the challenge.
"Now for one final aspect to this challenge," Reynolds continued. "One thing that will turn this game into the true test of mettle worthy of one of my own films!" Raising his hand up, he snapped his fingers and disappeared into a thick cloud of black smoke. The smoke washed over the entire crowd and people coughed slightly to from it...but then people began to drop.
Shinichi felt his vision blur and he coughed several times. Looking to his friends, he saw them collapsing into their seats. Shinichi tried to get up, but his limbs were heavy as if his muscles couldn't support the cybernetic implants anymore. His mind instantly snapped to a sleeping gas of some sort, and likely an organic one since his cybernetic upgrades which enhanced his immune system weren't reacting to it. His biological upgrades would eventually flush it out without any side effects, but that could take hours on its own. As Rena was the last to go down, Shinichi tried to stand, tried to concentrate so he could transform, but his body couldn't keep up and he collapsed to the cobblestone ground. He mercifully passed out not long after.
(LINE BREAK)
Hinamizawa - Banabara Residence
"Oh Satoko-chan, don't tell me you're still sulking over not being able to go to that new theme park?" asked Shiori as she brought hot cocoa to the three girls who were having a sleepover at Shiori's house.
"It's not fair!" Satoko pouted. "I've seen just as much freaky stuff as Nii-nii while fighting GIN-SHOCKER, the Darkloids, and those creepy TOKYO guys who wanted to gas the village!"
"Maybe, but those people and things were all scary by coincidence," Shiori explained, setting the sweet drinks down for the girls. "The things Michael Reynolds' movies are about are scary by design. They're supposed to scare people so absolutely everything about them is terrifying."
"Hmph!" Satoko pouted.
"Have you seen his films, Shiori-mama?" asked Rika.
"Oh yes!" Shiori shivered. "So scary! If I hadn't had my Sho-kun at the time, I would have had nightmares for weeks!"
"Hau!" Hanyuu murmured, hugging a stuffed animal fiercely.
"Terrified me for sure," Shiori nodded. "The man is an artist of horror just like I am of love. No doubt Shinji and Rena-chan will be dealing with a lot of scary stuff. With what they say about couples and horror though…" Shiori began to giggle as she headed back to the kitchen.
Satoko watched her go before turning to Rika and Hanyuu, whispering as if they were being spied on, "Let's just go and get in on our own!"
"What?" Rika frowned.
"Let's just go to the park and have fun on our own!" Satoko insisted. "We're all teenagers now anyway! They can't turn us down from getting on any of the rides! We can all go on and be brave with the stuff we've seen when Shinichi fights. We can go on those rides and win it easy! We'll rub it in their faces when we win the money!"
"Satoko…" Rika frowned.
"I'm serious!" Satoko insisted. "What about you Hanyuu?"
"I don't wanna go!" Hanyuu shook her head.
"What? Why not?" demanded Satoko.
"Too scary!" the purple-haired girl replied.
"Well fine!" Satoko huffed, standing up. She looked resolute as she made her next declaration, "I'm going to straight to that park myself and win that prize money so Nii-nii and Nee-nee won't look down on me anymore!"
"And how do you plan to get a ticket? Or even to get there?" asked Rika.
"I have a bike and I have pocket change all saved up!" Satoko snapped. "Just watch me get there!" With that, Satoko took off and ran straight out the front door. Rika and Hanyuu blinked at where Satoko had been before Rika sighed and looked to Hanyuu.
"Write a note to Shiori-mama. I'll collect our allowance money and grab Shinichi's bike," Rika sighed. "I think my legs are long enough to balance right. Let's get Satoko before she gets in trouble with Illbleed authorities."
"Hau, hau, hau!" Hanyuu murmured as she moved to get a paper and a pen.