minmaxticus
08-31-2009, 07:15 AM
FIRST EVOLUTION: Poison Skies – An Unexpected Hero!
(Opening Theme: Wings of Despair - Kamelot)
Heat rolled out across the asphalt, causing the warm spring afternoon to ripple hazily, distorting the cheering throng occupying the stands.
“Next up in the Ishimori 500 Qualifier we have Ness Regal,” boomed the announcer's voice. The crowd roared. “Regal, son of beloved MotoGP star Mugen Regal, led the way in the revival of Supermoto last year, but this is his first appearance on the GP circuit”, the announcer continued. “Some have speculated that Regal has been reluctant to ride on the same track in the same race that claimed his father nearly ten years ago, but when asked Regal merely replied 'I'll do my best'...”
In the cavernous private garages below the track, a young woman with strawberry blonde hair rolled her eyes in annoyance. Even down here, the announcer's voice could be heard. Brushing her hair out of the way, she crouched down in front of bike.
“They just had to mention that, didn't they?,” she muttered, tightening the last of the panel's bolts back into place. A cheerful looking young man poked his head out of the locker room adjoining the bay.
“What's that Sakura?,” he asked, smiling. He was slender, with brown hair swept across his face, dressed in a blue racing jumpsuit. The girl shouted over her shoulder.
“I said that goddamn announcer just had to bring up your Dad!”
Ness shrugged, smiling still.
“Dad would say I shouldn't let'em ruffle my feathers, so I won't!”
Sakura made a face.
“Ness, sometimes you're such a ninny.”
“And I wouldn't have it any other way.” Ness cheerfully replied, slipping his helmet on and buckling it into place. Sakura stood, backing away from the bike.
“Alright, you should be good to go,” she said, wiping her brow. Ness nodded as he slid astride of the racing bike. Sakura eyed him. “You going to be okay?”
Ness cocked his head. “Why wouldn't I be? Dad I rode this track a thousand times when I was little.”
Sakura frowned. “Yeah, but this is... different.”
Ness shrugged. “Wish me luck!”
Railings sprouted from the floor around bike and rider, and the platform began to ascend from the ceiling. Ness looked upwards as a square of light slid open in the darkness above him. A wave of sound and heat rolled over him as he appeared in the elevator's landing platform of the mechanics pit. Ness waved towards the adoring faces and shouts of encouraged as he rolled out onto the track.
The official mechanic came out, giving the bike a once over and then a thumbs up to the race officials. Support crews scuttled off the tarmac, leaving Ness all alone. Only then did the smiling cease, and his face instead become a mask of concentration. The lights of the starting line flashed down: 3, 2, 1....
At zero, Ness' foot snapped up off the pavement and onto the footpeg as his Custom Regal Motors' bike roared off the starting line. Ness hunkered down, accelerating towards the first turn.
“And Regal is off to a great start, coming out of the first turn and into the straightaway....”
Sakura took the stairs of the communications tower two at a time, winding her way up its rickety metal skeleton just as Ness was banking around and out of the first curve. She trotted up to the huge bank of windows, straining to see her friend as he shrunk into the distance.
“He's out of the first turn and headed into the first gambit, a series of switchback turns that often prove difficult for the first time riders...”
* * *
Donald Miller wasn't filling so good. The balding, middle aged office drone squinted from his nose bleed seats, despite being under an enormous awning. He loosened his eyesore of a tie some more and peered around, but his junior high daughter was no where to be found – he'd taken time off from work just so she could ditch him and hang out with her friends? His stomach gurgled, and he started to sweat heavily. Those nachos weren't hadn't been a good idea. Rising unsteadily, he stumbled down the deserted back stretch of the bleachers in search of the Men's room.
* * *
Sakura stamped her feet, shouting as Ness slalomed back and forth through the series of curves and then shot out along the back end of the track.
“Go Ness Go!”
* * *
Miller lurched down the last of the steps and into the darkened corridor. No one was around right now because they were all watching the qualifier race.
“And Regal finishes his first lap!,” came the distant voice of the announcer, followed by the roar of approval.
Donald swayed, blinking a few times. His eyes were bulging slightly now, like a frog's, and his sweat slicked skin was clammy. Amphibian, one could say. After a few more blinks, he finally seemed to acknowledge the bathroom. Slowly, he began to head for it.
* * *
Ness' eyes darted up towards the timer as he careened underneath the start/finish line's scaffolding. Too slow, he thought, I'm barely going to place in the lower division. Flattening himself, he opened up the engine all the way.
* * *
Sakura's eyes widened.
“What?”
She watched Ness open the bike up as he whipped it around the first curve, and he wasn't slowing down...
* * *
Ness gritted his teeth as the bike slid up and high, arching around the outer edge of the track. I can do this. I can do this. He told himself, throttling up all the way as he left the turn and headed for the dangerous triple switchback.
* * *
“What's this? Looks like Regal isn't just satisfied with qualifying, but in beating his father's demons!” the announcer crowed.
Sakura grabbed her hat, tearing it off and jumping up and down.
“YOU NINNY!”
* * *
Miller crashed through the bathroom door, collapsing on the filthy tile. He shuddered.
* * *
The bike skidded, tires shrieking as it took the first turn too fast. Ness clung to it, not daring to throttle down as he barreled towards the second switchback.
* * *
Miller convulsed again, his body undulating right off the floor. He crashed through a bathroom stall door, seizuring on his feet. His limbs lashed out, splinter wood and tearing at his skin as he uncontrollably flung himself about inside the men's room.
* * *
Ness eyes' widened as the bike shook. He hit the brakes, fighting the machine's momentum.
* * *
Donald Miller, balding divorced father of two, clawed frantically at the edge of the sink, fighting to keep himself steady – instead, he puke a torrent of bloody black vomit and died.
* * *
Ness and the bike slammed down hard against the concrete, sliding out of the turn. The bike screamed. So did Sakura.
The entire field went silent. Not even the announcer had a soundbyte for the moment.
* * *
In the mens room, something crawled up from the ruins of Donald Miller's body. It was amphibian, and it was hungry.
* * *
Outside, a blue gloved hand pawed the air, and the world let out a collective sigh of relief. Ness unsteadily rose to his feet, one side of his suit shredded to reveal the armored plates layered within. He hauled the bike up, revealing an ugly black scar on the side of its body that had kissed the tarmac. The front fairing was completely gone, leaving a melted and torn stub in its place.
Emergency personnel rushed across the field while Ness wheeled his wounded bike towards them, waving to the crowd sheepishly. He was met by race personnel and after a moment, one of the officials made a gesture and the announcer immediately piped up, not missing a beat.
“What's this? It seems that Regal wants to continue his qualifier!”
The crowd irrupted in mixed emotions – disbelief mixed with cheers and jeers.
“They're talking it over... and it seems that they'll let him continue with a new bike and a fifteen second penalty added to his time, but he can continue from the second lap!”
* * *
The frog monster pushed its way out of the mens room and croaked, tasting the air with its tongue.
* * *
Sakura was waiting for him in the pit, a new helmet in one hand and a punch to the arm in the other. She choked back tears as she yelled him.
“Y-y-you NINNY!,” she yelled, pummeling him. “I thought you said you weren't going to try to any stunts like that!” Ness winced, although the crash hurt far worse then her half hearted blows.
“Sorry, sorry,” was all he could manage, trading helmets. A junior technician wheeled the wounded bike away as the spare was brought up.
“And your grand dad is going to KILL ME... that was a concept bike!”
“So... come up with a new concept!” Ness smiled and hurried off, pushing the new bike with him.
“Oh YOU-”
* * *
The janitors office door creaked open as a pudgy hand pawed its way around it. The janitor had his back turned, listening to a rather loud news report on the radio as he rather intently cleaned the lint from his belly button. He let out little more then the grunt as the ravenous frog monster pounced.
* * *
“Stupid, stupid, stupid...,” Ness muttered quietly as the crews once again cleared the tarmac. This time, there was no count down, only the shift from the golden “caution” light to the green “go”. Revving up, albeit more cautiously then before, Ness restarted his second lap.
* * *
The janitors' friend blinked and stared for a moment as he peer inside the splintered, bloody room. The frog monster croaked, turning sluggishly. The uninjured man turn and fled, screaming for help. The monster rose, lurching after this new meal. In the office, the bloody carcass of the dead man shimmered and a cancerous looking fog arose, seeping out into the hallway.
* * *
Sakura turned away from track as Ness neared completion of his second lap, hearing an uproar in the crowd. People were spilling out of their seats as some sort of commotion came from the hallways into the stands.
“...eh?”
A black cloud came billowing out as the frog monster appeared out of, croaking happily. Sakura spun and broke the glass surrounding a button on the wall. The announcer's own confused voice was cut out as an automated emergency message took over.
“MIASMA PRESENT, all civilians go to designated safe zones. Warning, outbreak eminent. SMASH has been notified... do not risk contamination. REPEAT. MIASMA PRESENT...”
* * *
Over the roar of the engine and his own lingering embarassment, Ness didn't hear the emergency broadcast. It wasn't until he was accelerating back towards the front of the track that he saw the flashing lights of the emergency broadcast system.
“What the...?”
People were scrambling down off the stands, pulling face masks on as others pulled packs off the wall, ripping them open to reveal self inflating biological contamination shelters. Some people wore simple paper face masks, others pulled more elaborate rigs from backpacks and off the walls. A few even tried to save their friends who had collapsed from the air born plague, but to no avail. The frog monster croaked loudly.
Several of the corpses transformed, the skin sloughing off as the Miasma mutated the cells into more of the frog monster's friends. Each arose, massive eyes blinking, until they all began to slowly croak in unison.
Sakura scrambled back into the garage, going for one of the industrial strength masks. In the pit, one of the mechanics had changed, and the frog monster leapt onto the track, eagerly waddling towards Ness. But Ness was still on his bike, slowing down. Instead, Ness gunned it, pulling the bike into a wheelie and smashing the monster into the ground.
“Ugh! Take THAT!,” he hollared, squishing its face. The creature croaked, and then more of the Miasma began to seep out. “Oh shit,” Ness said, ditching his bike and running for the garage – the stands were swarming now with Frog creatures, and another one leapt down after him.
“Get away!” Ness tried to scramble around it, but he was too slow. More of its friends began to pour out onto the tarmac. That was when helped arrive.
A massive aerodyne roared in from above, spitting energy blasts across the field. Emergency service vehicles rammed the gates, their doors emblazoned with the word SMASH. Another one of the aircraft paused, rotating in mid air as troopers slid down nylon ropes dressed in environmentally sealed riot gear. They engaged the frog monsters, driving them back as they pulled civilians to safety. Ness turned to watch two more SMASH personnel drop in. They weren't dressed in riot gear though – they wore dress casual and inspectors' pins. One was a man, tall and broad shouldered, stubble on his chin. The other was a woman, amazonian and not much shorter then her male friend. She gestured at the frog monster with the tip of her head.
“Hey, who let the science class experiments loose?,” she sneered.
“Must've been some of those PETA bozos,” her partner replied. She nodded.
“Why don't we do 'em a favor and dissect 'em?” She reached down with her hand, pulling back her jacket. There was a bulky looking belt around her hips. The man did the same, revealing a belt of his own.
“Sounds good,” he replied. Badges appeared in their hands, and together they slid them into the buckles of their respective belts.
“Henshin” they said in unison, and then the world was bathed in light. Ness covered his eyes as the frog monsters croaked in alarm, falling back. Lines of light crisscrossed their bodies and the belts' replied.
“Armor up... Engage Fulcrum,” the woman's belt said, encasing her in black and violet armor with striking yellow eyes. Her helmet that of a praying mantis.
“Armor up... Engage Vulcan,” the man's added, his armor a deep red with a singular horn atop his head, his eyes were bright yellow as well.
The pair leaped into the fray, the man handily judo throwing the frog monsters and delivering mighty blows whilst his partner danced among them, raining down a flurry of strikes, ever moving. Ness took the opportunity to scramble towards the garage as the masked superman and superwoman went to work. Sakura met him, tearing off her mask with one hand, a crowbar in the other.
“Where have you been?,” she hissed. Ness cringed and pointed back to where his bike was.
“I hit one of them, and then...,”
Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes, grabbing him by the shoulder.
“Never mind, c'mon.”
* * *
High above, one of the SMASH aerodynes stayed on station to observe the action. In the back passenger seats was a large, enthusiastically loud black man – dressed similarly to that of his now armored colleagues, but with a flair indicative of someone about a year behind current trendy street fashion.
“Aw shit! Did you see that? Didja?!,” he shouted, slapping his knee and nearly knocking his laptop out the open hatch.
“Fuck yeah, look at those stats...”
He pointed a big sausage finger at the screen, which displayed icons of the armored man and woman. The woman's was labeled “FULCRUM” and the man “VULCAN”. Their enthusiastic friend put his hand to his ear.
“Shit, Roy, you just hit that motherfucker with 5000 PSI. That's some straight Rocky shit there man. Gonna call you Ivan Drago from now on,” the black man chuckled. The woman could be heard sighing over the channel.
“Shut up, Daryl,” she said. Daryl made a face.
“Aw, come on, Naoko. You guys havin' all the fun down there while I gotta cool my heels way up here. Don't even get to blast those motherfuckers....”
“Well, if you weren't always getting into trouble...,” Roy replied.
“Not to mention your synch rate has been in the toilet, too,” Naoko added.
Daryl frowned.
“Whatever, NAY-OH-KO,” he said sullenly, closing the channel.
* * *
Sakura had pressed the mask over Ness' head as they ducked back inside the garage, trying to take one of the elevators down into the saferoom below, but it wouldn't respond.
“Dammit,” she cried, slamming her hands on the panel. Ness looked around, holding the mask to his face. Something moved in the darkness. Ness tugged at her sleeve.
“Um, Sakura...”
She ignored him, trying to fiddle with the panel.
“Sakura...”
“What?!”
Ness pointed.
* * *
Vulcan backhanded a frog monster, but then turned as he heard a scream. Two civilians – one a young man in a torn up jumpsuit, the other a blonde in mechanics' coveralls – were running out of the garage, followed by another one of the gurgling monstrosities.
“Hey, Vector,” Vulcan said casually to the frog monster. It stopped, turned to stare Vulcan down. Vulcan flexed his hand and it went to his empty hip. The vector charged just as an oversized revolver materialized on Vulcan's hip.
“Horn Magnum,” the belt said. Vulcan snatched up the gun and fired, blowing an enormous hole in the Vector's chest. Vulcan sauntered over as it collapsed, and looked down on its corpse.
“You're under arrest.”
* * *
“Daryl,” Fulcrum said, ducking under the clumsy swipe of another Frog Vector. “Is the Miasma contained?”.
Daryl's voice came back. “The Miasma's stopped growing, but there's a whole lot of Vectors down there... shit, it's like... it's like they're just appearing out of thin air.”
Naoko sighed.
“Don't be stupid. There must be a reason,” she replied, taking a couple steps back as she was surrounded by several of the Frog Vectors. Fulcrum straightened up, and her eyes flashed.
“Mantis Knuckle,” her belt said, and then pieces of her arm flipped forwards, off the back of her arms and over her hands as massive gauntlets. Fulcrum spun, lashing out with renewed fury, knocking two, three, four of the Vectors out.
“Keep scanning,” she said, “You've got to find the reason.”
* * *
Ness and Sakura stumbled up onto the grass hill that rose above the pit in the center of the track, and looked down upon the carnage. Frog monsters were everywhere, devouring people, even as men in lacquered swat armor tried to beat them back. Sakura pointed and shrieked as she saw a frog monster wriggle its way out of one of the biohazard tents civilians would hide in during a miasma outbreak. Ness gasped moments later when more of the creatures tore their way free.
“They're multiplying!,” Ness cried.
“SMASH is being overrun... I've never seen anything like it!,” Sakura added.
* * *
Vulcan and Fulcrum regrouped down on the track, enjoying a brief respite when their radios crackled to life. It was a SMASH trooper from outside.
“Inspectors!, The Frog Vectors are escaping! We can't hold them!,” the trooper added.
“What?!” They said simultaneously, looking at each other.
“This is different,” Vulcan said. Fulcrum nodded.
“They don't try to escape normally... but if they do....”
“They could infect the city.”
“Or the countryside.
“Inspectors!,” the SMASH trooper cried again.
“We're on our way!,” Vulcan said, and the two ran off, making for the stadium exterior.
* * *
Meanwhile, the aerodyne Daryl was in continued to circle above, with the large black man furiously typing away, trying to find an answer to add the madness.
“Dammit... why are they multiplying like this. They've never...”
Daryl's laptop began whooping frantically.
“What the...?”
He keyed in a command, zooming in on this new signature. His eyes widened.
“Shit!”
Daryl keyed the communications link back on.
“Naoko...” he began.
“Not now,” she said testily.
“Sorry, Darryl,” Roy added, cutting the channel.
“Dammit!” Daryl hissed. The laptop continued flashing its alert. After a moment of staring helplessly at the screen, he keyed the intercom for the aerodyne's pilot.
“Scan for these sensor readings. Let me know when we're over them.”
“Yessir.”
* * *
Sakura turned and headed down the hill, away from the worst of the fighting. Ness' eyes widened as he watched her go.
“Hey! Wh-where are you going?,” he asked.
“C'mon, we're getting out of here.”
“B-but...,” he pointed back the other way. “There's SMASH Troopers over there, they can get us to safety.”
“And that's where all the monsters are. I don't feel like getting eaten or turned into one. Do you?,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “If we go this way, we'll avoid the worst of the fighting and the Miasma,” she kept walking.
Ness hesitated. He had to stand on his tips toes to see over the top of the hill now. The SMASH troopers were falling back, and those two in the fancy armor were running towards the front entrance of the stadium.
“I-I guess you're right,” he said. Sakura snorted, but it sounded like she had an awful cold... he turned. “Sakur...aaaaaaaah!”
Sakura was frozen in terror, splayed on the ground at the base of the hill. In front of her was the biggest of all the Frog Monsters they'd seen, the scraps of some awful looking men's necktie around its throat. The Monster blinked its enormous eyes and let out a thunderous croak.
* * *
Daryl gritted his teeth, going stir crazy inside the back of the aerodyne. The lights were dimmed and on alert mode, bathing the back cabin in red, all outside light shut out because of the NBC (Nuclear-Biological Contaminant) conditions. He clicked over various windows, watching the SMASH troopers holding the line, but barely, against an ever-increasing horde of Frog Vectors. Even Roy and Naoko seemed hard pressed to keep some of the creatures from escaping. The pilots voice interrupted his brooding thoughts.
“Sir, I've found it... it looks like a bigger version of one of the Frog Vectors, and it's attacking two civilians!”
“Can you take it out?”
“Not without hitting the civilians, sir.”
Daryl's eyes darted to the case on the seat next to him. He reached for it.
“Then I'll engage it.”
“But sir, you can't – you're – what about Inspectors Krueger and Romanova?”
Daryl cracked open the case, slinging the belt around his hips as he stood. “They've got their hands full with the situation out front,” he told the pilot, making his way to the door. “I'll take full responsibility, Corporal.” He keyed the controls, and door popped open with a hiss.
“A-aye, sir.”
“Warning, cabin breach, MIASMA detected. Reseal door immediately...,” the door suggested sagely. Daryl overrode it and peered out, his eyes half closed because of the violent surge of air created by the aerodyne's engines in hover mode.
“Get me in as close as you can!,” Daryl yelled over the wind. He could see the Frog Vector towering over a girl in mechanics clothes, a young man was further up the hill, stunned. “Ugly motherfucker,” he said to himself. The aerodyne came in closer.
“This is it, sir!,” the pilot shouted.
“Understood! I'm going out!,” Daryl shouted, and then he dropped into the fray.
* * *
“Sakura!,” Ness yelled, running down the hill. He scooped up her dropped crowbar, shouting at the frog monster “You get away from her!”, when one of the aerodynes swooped in low and a black man dropped out of it. He had a belt around his waist like the other two.
“Hey!,” the man shouted, causing the Vector and civilians to pause. He landed heavily on one knee, rising slowly. “I'm tired of you terrorizing innocent people!,” Daryl said, pointing at the Frog Vector. “And I won't let your slimy tyranny continue!”
Ness stared.
“Is this guy f'real?,” Sakura said.
Daryl brandished a badge of his own, taking a step forward. The Vector actually took a step back. “Henshin!,” Daryl said, slamming the badge into place. Light crackled around the belt, and Daryl staggered.
“Ar-mor Up... En...gage...” the belt stuttered, and then the armor's lines of light appeared haphazardly, encasing Daryl in some kind of deformed looking suit. He reeled drunkenly, before lurching with a wild hook at the Head Vector.
“ERRRARGH!,” Daryl screamed.
The monster's head snapped back and it reeled, letting out a grunt. It shoved him back and leaped on top of him, snaking its tongue out and around his neck. Daryl clutched at the slimy tongue, struggling to get it off him. Ness dashed around the pair, pulling Sakura up.
“Let's book it while those two hump each other,” she said. Ness was about to follow her when he heard Daryl scream. The frog monster had its claws around the belt and was prying it off. The black man thrashed in the dirt, suddenly helpless. The belt began to give, it made a wet ripping sound as the Vector threw the belt over its shoulder. It landed at Ness' feet.
“C'mon, what are you waiting for?!,” Sakura hissed. Ness looked down at the belt, looked at Daryl and the Vector. The armor encasing the black man began to crack, let off a sickly light, before shattered into a cloud of glittering obsidian dust. Underneath, the man's skin was ashen and blistered. It looked freezer burned. His eyes rolled back into his head as the Vector squeezed. Daryl gurgled, and his hands dropped from the tongue around his neck.
“You Ninny, let's go!,” Sakura ran back and was tearing at Ness' sleeve. But he couldn't take his eyes off the big black man who'd tried to save them. The Frog Monster promptly sucked him in, taking him in one gluttonous, murderous gulp.
Ness kneeled in the grass, picking up the belt.
“What are you doing?! That thing's going to trash you and have me for dessert!,” she said. As if on cue, the Frog Monster turned.
“Urrrrrrrrrrp?,” it said.
Ness stood, holding the belt and the black man's badge.
“Sakura – he died because of us. And if someone doesn't try – many more will die today.”
Ness looked up at her, his eyes far away and yet so very much in the hear and now.
“Please understand,” he said. Sakura backed away in bewilderment.
Ness buckled the belt on and took a deep breath.
“Hurrrrrruuuuurp,” the frog suggested, ready for another meal.
“I don't know what dark place you came from, but someone must stop you... and I can't let that man's death go unavenged,” Ness said, raising the badge up. He tried to ignore that both the belt and the badge were gooing with something unspeakable. “Sakura, please, get to safety.”
Sakura shook her head and ran off. “What is it boys and their speeches?”
“RRRURP!,” the monstrosity growled, ready to chase after her. Ness shook his head, stepping into its path. The monster stopped, taken aback by yet another stupid human.
“You want to eat my friend? So sorry, but you cannot.” He shoved the badge into the slot on the top of the belt until it clicked.
“Henshin”
“Armor Up... Engage Thrust,” the belt said clearly this time. Whatever wasn't working for Daryl, it wasn't a problem for Ness. Ghostly plates and panels appeared around him, shimmering in the air before closing in, snapping into place with a flash of light.
Where Ness once stood was a lanky armored warrior in bright green, its round eyes a shimmering scarlet. Twin antennae swept back over from above the eyes, completing the grasshopper motif. Thrust looked down at his hands, marveling at them.
* * *
Vulcan and Fulcrum were back to back, surrounded by Frog Vectors, when the call came in. It wasn't Daryl, but their aerodyne pilot.
“Inspectors! So sorry to bother you, but Inspector Yubari engaged the- the King Vector and he...” the pilots voice went out in static.
“Horn Magnum”
Vulcan squeezed off several more shots as Fulcrum dived into a roll past the others, lashing out with her fists. The Vectors collapsed onto one knee. Vulcan spun and head shot them. The final one tried to run, but Fulcrum leapt gracefully into the air.
“RIDER KICK!,” Fulcrum shouted, her legs scissoring out in a slash of energy. The Vector collapsed in half. Landing, Fulcrum turned to see Vulcan trot up.
“Nice,” he said. Fulcrum didn't answer, but instead cut in on the pilot, who's voice had come back from the static.
“What was that?”
“I said Thrust is engaging the King Vector.”
“What?!,” she replied, looking at Vulcan.
“KING Vector?,” he said. She snapped back to the pilot.
“We're on our way,” she replied. Vulcan motioned to the guards. Make sure no more Vectors come this way.
“Roger!” they shouted, as Vulcan and Fulcrum broke into a run for Daryl and the Vector...
* * *
Thrust marveled some more at his hands. “Such power...” he clenched them into a fist, but while he was busy he didn't see the frog creature charge him.
“Grurrrp!”, it snarled, headbutting Thrust and knocking him into the ground.
“Oooph.”
Thrust got up on one knee just in time to see the Frog Vector open its mouth and let its tongue shoot out. He clumsy rolled to one side. The frog reeled its tongue back in and tried again.
Thrust twisted out of the way, but this time let his hands grab the tongue, holding fast as the Frog Vector tried to reel its slimy extra appendage back into its mouth.
“REEEEURP!” it squealed as Thrust stood up and tugged hard.
“You are very naughty,” Thrust chided, wrapping his armor hand around the tongue like he was getting a good grip on some rope. “This must stop.”
The Frog Vector's bulging eyes widened more as Thrust ripped its tongue out, in a geyser of bright blue blood. The Frog Vector thrashed wildly as its tongue writhed in Thrust's hands. Ness imagined it looked like very much like a headless snake, except he yelped when the flesh began to dissolve, searing his palms. Thrusts eyes flashed, and suddenly the Ness-ness in its posture and body language went away. Thrust dropped the burning fleshy bit and confronted the twitching Frog Vector, it looked at Thrust with hateful eyes. Thrust broke into a run.
“RIDER...KICK,” the belt said as Thrust leaped into the air, extending a single foot in a massive burning side kick. The Frog Vector collapsed on impact and Thrust pushed off its chest, flipping backwards to land in a crouch, facing away from the mortally wounded monster. It clawed its way up to its feet, only to freeze and fall backwards, exploding in a pillar of fire.
Vulcan and Fulcrum skid to a halt in front of Thrust.
“Daryl, what the hell are you doing?,” Fulcrum barked. Vulcan nodded, gesturing with his chin.
“And since when did you synch up well enough to do that?”
A SMASH trooper broke in.
“Inspectors! The Vectors... they're dissolving!”
“Eh?,” Vulcan said, turning around to watch the Frog Vectors all along the track and in the stands in the final throes of death, much to the relief of the SMASH troopers and civilians. Everyone broke out in cheers. Vulcan turned back in time to see Fulcrum get into Thrust's face.
“Answer me, you bastard!,” she growled, shaking Thrust's arm, but he didn't react. Instead, the belt popped open on its own.
“Shift down,” it proclaimed. The armor vanishing in a wave of light starting at the belt and radiating out. Ness reeled, as Fulcrum took a step back.
“What?,” she said.
“Eh?!,” Vulcan added, looking on in alarm.
“Ness!,” Sakura cried, running up to him. He looked over, focusing in on her, but he couldn't stay standing. He collapsed gently to his knees as she slid to a stop in front of him, hugging his neck.
“Y-you NINNY! You stupid stupid ninny!” she sobbed, through happy tears of relief.
Vulcan and Fulcrum looked at each other, hitting a release on their belts.
“Shift Down,” their belts said in unison, and then their armor dissolved like Thrust's, leaving Roy and Naoko to stare first at each other, and then back to Ness and Sakura.
“A... civilian?,” they thought in unison.
FIRST EVOLUTION – COMPLETE
(End Theme: War is Necessary by Nas)
minmaxticus
09-06-2009, 02:39 AM
SECOND EVOLUTION: An Uneasy Homecoming
Naoko took a step forward, glaring at the dazed civilian named Ness. The girl had stopped clinging to his neck now, and had his cheeks cupped in her hands.
“Are you okay?,” Sakura said.
“Hey!, What the hell are you doing?,” Naoko said crossly. “Where's Daryl?”
Sakura and Ness looked up.
“Wha-?,” was all Ness could manage. Sakura didn't like Naoko already. Naoko pushed Sakura out of the way and hauled Ness up by the scruff. Sakura looked on in horror as the older woman held him up so high that Ness' feet barely touched the ground.
“I said what'd you do with Inspector Yubari?,” she snarled, shaking him roughly. Ness could all choke and wheeze.
“Answer me!,” she said, shaking him. Sakura had had enough, and grabbed Naoko's arm.
“You're choking him! Let him go! He didn't do anything wrong!,” Sakura cried. Naoko snorted.
“I'll be the judge of that,” she started to say. And then Roy broke in, his hand on her shoulder.
“Naoko-kun,” he said gently. Naoko looked over her shoulder to see him point off to a cluster of SMASH troopers gathered on the grass. Naoko's eyes widened, and she released the feebly kicking Ness. Sakura rushed to help him as he collapsed on the ground, his face blue.
Naoko ran to where the SMASH troopers were gathered on the grass, and they parted when she arrived. Roy was behind her a step. In the center was Daryl, barely breathing – or rather, what was left of him. She knelt by his head, putting a gloved hand to his forehead. His body was badly mangled, covered in black ichor where his muscle wasn't exposed to the air. Naoko's jaw set. Daryl's eyes seemed to focus through the haze of pain, and he smiled weakly.
“Naoko...,” he said weakly.
“Shush,” she said, as tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.
“I- did I...,” he coughed, wretching up something in his throat.
“Shh,” Naoko whispered, stroking his hair.
“Did – I – do it?,” Daryl asked, “Did we win?”
“You always did have to go and pick a fight with someone bigger then you,” she said, smiling through the tears, stroking his cheek. Daryl clenched his teeth and shuttered. Naoko had his head in her lap now, trying to make him comfortable. She looked back over at one of the SMASH Troopers.
“Get a medic!,” she barked. One of them saluted.
“Yes Ma'am!,” he said, running off. Naoko looked back to Daryl, who'd intertwined his fingers through hers. He looked at her fondly, she shook her head.
“Don't say anything, you big idiot. The medics are almost here...”
Daryl shook his own head, smiling sadly.
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head again. “No, no, no... don't you die on me...”
“Nao...ko...,” Daryl whispered, before his eyes lost focus and his body went limp.
“Daryl... DARYL...,” she, panic rising in her voice. He didn't answer. Her voice strained, broke.
“You stupid bastard!,” she cried, cradling his head in her lap.
“You stupid fucking bastard!,” she screamed, fiercely hugging Daryl's.
The SMASH Troopers all lowered their heads in respect. Roy put his hand on her shoulder again, and spoke gently.
“Let's go home, Naoko.”
(Opening Theme: Wings of Despair By Kamelot)
Once the Vector threat had been contained, a small contingent of SMASH troopers were left to clean up the remnants of the MIASMA outbreak, coordinating with the civilian responders. Meanwhile, Roy and Naoko were loaded onto an aerodyne with Daryl's remains while Sakura and the disoriented Ness were hustled onto another. Ness fell asleep almost immediately, his body still in shock from the transformation and events of the day. Sakura fidgeted, occasionally stealing sideways glances at the inscrutable mask of the SMASH trooper riding in the back of the aerodyne with them.
But is he here to make sure we're okay or to that we don't escape?, she wondered.
* * *
It was late afternoon when the aerodynes circled the highrise building that rose from SMASH HQ complex, before landing on one of the outlying helipads. Sakura glanced out the port, but the SMASH trooper raised a hand and shook his head. After a moment, a jolt ran through the craft and they began to descend, the golden late afternoon giving way to a dark concrete shaft. Sakura pressed her face against the aerodyne's viewport, watching bands of light flash by occasionally until the shaft gave way to a vast underground hangar area.
“Whoa,” she breathed. Almost on cue, Ness moved, waking.
“Mmmmm?,” he said sleepily. Sakura turned and looked at him, pointing back at the view port. Ness squinted, and then his eyes widened.
“Whoa!,” he echoed, pressing in next to Sakura. Wordlessly, the SMASH trooper put a hand to his helmeted head, as if talking to someone inside.
* * *
There was a group gathered outside the aerodynes as Ness and Sakura emerged. An older man with slicked back hair talked with Inspector Krueger, beyond which Sakura could see Naoko following a gurney that had a body bag on top of it. Poor Inspector... what was his name... Yubari?, she thought.
“This is so cool...,” Ness said, looking around in awe. Sakura glanced at him, but before she could say anything she felt eyes on her. She turned back to where Inspector Krueger was talking to the older man, who had two more people behind him – one was a woman in her thirties with glasses, the other was a smaller man with dishelved hair, sideburns and a pointed goatee. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, wishing the man's eyes would go away. Ness didn't notice.
After a moment, Inspector Krueger walked over, leading the older man to them.
“Here they are, sir... these are the two civilians Naoko and I encountered at the stadium,” said Roy, gesturing to Ness and Sakura. The older woman and the creepy shorter man were behind what seemed to be everyone's boss around here. The older man smiled and extended a hand to first Ness, then Sakura.
“I'm Chief Koga, Director of SMASH,” he said pleasantly, shaking Ness' hand. “Your reputation proceeds you, Mister Regal.” Ness' eyes got wider and he sputtered enthusiastically.
“Y-you've got a very impressive headquarters, sir!,” he said. Koga chuckled and motioned behind himself.
“That would be thanks to Doctor Bell and Doctor Gee...”
The woman smiled and bowed.
“I'm Doctor Erika Bell, it's very nice to meet you.”
“Oh! You're an American!,” Ness' eyes widened.
“Yes I am,” she said smiling.
“That's so cool!”
Koga cleared his throat, and Ness looked over.
“Oh! Sorry!,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Chief Koga motioned to the man with the goatee.
“This is Doctor Balcus Gee, he's Doctor Bell's colleague. I'm sure the three of you will have a lot to talk about,” Koga said, and then let the three mingle. He stepped over to Sakura, who'd been quite happy to make herself small while Balcus had stared at her, but was now fidgiting with boredom.
“And it's nice to meet you, Miss...”
Sakura looked up at his voice and straightened.
“Oh... um... Sakura... Sakura Kusanagi,” she said. Koga looked at her for a moment.
“Sakura Kusanagi, it's a great pleasure,” he said, taking her hands in his, nodding to her. Roy sauntered over.
“Yeah, that's her, Chief. You shoulda seen her almost deck Naoko when put hands on her boyfriend here,” Roy said cheerily. Sakura's eyes widened and she looked over at Ness, who was too busy talking Doctor Bell's ear off.
“H-he's not my boyfriend!,” she sputtered. Chief Koga just looked amused as Roy waved a hand nonchalantly.
“Sure, sure...”
“He's NOT!,” she insisted, reddening.
“Okay, okay... calm down before you turn into a Vector...”
“I'm not going to turn into a VECTOR!” she said, livid.
“Well you sure look like it -”
“ACK!,” she squawked, and would've pounced on him if not for Chief Koga.
“Okay, I think that's enough excitement for one day... let's get you cleaned up and debriefed and then we'll get you into touch with your families...”
* * *
Sakura padded her way out of the bathroom of the large suite, wrapped in a towel and rubbing her hair with another as she talked to someone on the phone.
“Yes Mom, I'm fine. The Director of SMASH said we can come home soon, they just need to debrief us and make sure we're not infected or anything...,” she paused, letting her Mom carry on other end of the line. “I promise I'll call you if anything else happens. Okay, talk to you soon. Love you too. Bye.”
Sakura dropped the phone on the bed and collapsed onto it, sighing. She stared at the ceiling, wet hair spilling out behind her. What a day, she thought, closing her eyes.
* * *
“Thank you!,” Ness said through a mouthfull of food as he stormed into the suite, not noticing Sakura passed out on one of the beds. He waved to the pair of poor SMASH troopers assigned to escort him around the facility before depositing him back in the guest suite with Sakura. Packaged snacks and take out bags spilled out of his hands as he cheerfully turned to start talking to Sakura, who was waking up.
“Hey Sakura...,” he began. He was oblivious to the fact she was wrapt in a drying towel and nothing else. She shot up as she saw him and pulled the big towel over her. It was plenty big, but it didn't feel that way somehow.
“Uh.... EEEEEE AH NESS WHAT ARE YOU DOING HE-RE!?!?,” she screeched.
“Huh?,” he asked, staring. “Oh, you're -,” he stared, pointing.
“TURN AROUND YOU BIG PERVERT!,” she hollared, throwing the towel she;d been drying her hair with earlier over his head. Ness dropped all the snacks and take out onto the floor as he clumsily tried to catch it. He thrashed for a moment, blind.
“Uh, Sa-Sakura...?,” he said tentatively, using a single finger to pull it off of his face.
The bathroom door slammed. He looked around, dumbfounded.
“But I brought snacks...”
* * *
Now dressed in some spare clothes, Sakura sat across from Ness and watched him gnosh on his snacks somewhat incredulously. The floor was littered with wrappers, but there was a still veritable mountain of consumables on the table between them.
“Geeze.”
“OM NOM NOM NOM... WUT?,” Ness said around a mouthful of food. He took a final gulp and looked at her. “Not hungry?”
“You should learn to knock next time,” she said sourly.
Ness thought about it for a moment, unwrapping a foam take out carton and then chewing thoughtfully on some Pork Bao. He swallowed. Sakura leaned in adding.
“You know, because you walked in on me taking a shower... and that's rude to do to a lady...”
Ness laughed. Sakura cocked an eyebrow.
“Don't be silly Sakura – you're my best friend, not some prim and proper lady...”
She buried her head in her hands.
“Gee, thanks.”
* * *
A short while later, Ness and Sakura were gathered in a lounge overlooking the hangar area with the director, doctors, and Inspector Krueger. The seats were plush leather like a pub booth's, but the floors and walls were military metal. Greenery was place about the room to soften the two clashing styles, and glass replaced the wall facing the hangar area. Sakura snuck a glance at Balcus, but he was distracted, much to her relief. Ness was practically bouncing up and down with pent up energy.
Roy stood up from where he sat next to the Director, whilst Gee and Bell readied the screen embedded into one wall.
“Doctors Bell and Gee have had a chance to analyze the fight with the Vectors, but we'd like to know what you two experienced,” Roy said. Sakura and Ness looked at each other.
“Uh...,” Sakura started. “I... almost got eaten by a Frog monster...?”
“Vectors,” Doctor Bell corrected.
“What?”
“Their official designation is Vectors,” Doctor Bell replied.
“Oh... kay...,” Sakura said. Balcus spoke up.
“We call them Vectors because they are a carrier of the disease. Medical terminology uses the term vector in much the same way for anything that a virus or the like uses to get from one victim to another.”
Sakura nodded. Ness piped up now.
“Excuse me, but I always thought Vectors were found by themselves? Isn't this supposed to be an isolated sort of thing?”
Erika and Roy exchanged glances. Roy answered.
“That'd be correct, and we're following up on how that could've happened...”
“Would it have something to do with this King Vector I heard one of the SMASH troopers talking about?”
Roy was taken aback, and Erika cleared her throat before answering.
“We haven't classified exactly what it was the trooper was talking about, but we think there may be a sort of primary or host vector that caused the MIASMA to react much more...”
“...much more efficiently then normal,” cut in Balcus. His eyes were hidden behind the glare of the lighting reflecting off his glasses. “But what we're more interested in is how efficient you were in dispatching this Host Vector.”
Koga glanced over sharply, interrupting them all.
“Doctor, I thought I made it clear the purpose of this meeting was to debrief these civilians before releasing them to go back to their homes, not to analyze Mr. Regal's incident with the Kamen Rider System.”
Gee bowed his head.
“I'm sorry Director, I misspoke. Forgive me”
“It's not trouble, really!,” Ness said happily. They all looked at him.
“I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, it would be an honor to work with such a fine group as SMASH!,” he said, bowing his head. Sakura looked at the Director, Doctors, and Inspector, before leaning over and grabbing Ness' arm.
“What're you, crazy?,” she hissed. “We've got to go home. Both your Mom and my parents are going nuts about this... have you seen the news?”
Ness looked over and smiled at Sakura.
“Mom will understand! It's for a good cause!”
Sakura let go of his arm. Roy spoke up now.
“While we appreciate your offer, Mr. Regal...”
“...please! Call me Ness!”
“Ness... we can't involve you in this. But we appreciate your enthusiastic offer.”
He looked to Chief Koga, who nodded, rising.
“Inspector Krueger is right. It would be unconscionable for SMASH to detain you further.”
Balcus squirmed, but Doctor Bell nodded, agreeing with the Director. Koga continued, turning to Roy. “Inspector, would you see to it that Mr. Regal and Ms. Kusanagi are taken home safely?”
Roy nodded, and ushered the two civilians out. Erika watched them go, before turning to the Director.
“Chief, I couldn't help but wonder, did you say that Sakura's last name was Kusanagi?”
Koga nodded.
“That's right, Doctor.”
“So she's related to...”
“Yes,” Koga said, but the look he gave the Doctor meant he wanted the subject dropped. She paused, nodded, and then left the room. The director did too, but he paused at Balcus. “And I meant what I said, Doctor Gee.”
Balcus bowed his head, holding it down until the director left. He looked up while he was alone, and a grin played across his lips.
* * *
The Chrysler-Lexus pulled up to in front of a residence, it's massive tires stopping a hair's breadth next to the curb. Sakura and Ness got out.
“Thank you, Inspector Krueger,” she said, bowing.
Roy nodded.
“Any time,” he said, smiling at her. He looked at Ness next, his smile going away.
“Don't you want me to drop you off at your house, Regal?”
Ness smiled but waved it off.
“No need, but thank you, Inspector Kreuger,” he said, bowing. Roy snorted, and then looked back to Sakura.
“Alright then, you have a good night, see you later, Sakura-chan.”
Sakura made a face, and Ness grew wide eyed as the agressive-looking sedan pulled away.
“Ehhhh?,” she sputtered. Ness hurried around to her other side, pointing at her.
“He-he called you Sakura chan? But he won't even call me Ness!,” he said, confused. Sakura, blushing a little, pushed Ness off with one hand and headed inside her house.
“You're such a ninny.”
* * *
Roy pulled out his phone and hit one of the speed dial buttons.
“Riki, it's me.” he said. Erika sighed on the other end of the phone.
“I told you not to call me that at work,” she chided. Roy chuckled.
“The kids are off at Kusanagi's house.”
“Even Ness? You didn't take him home?”
“Nope, Regal wanted to stay with her.”
“I don't know why you've got such a problem with him,” she said disapprovingly.
“He's too eager to please,” Roy replied tersely.
“He likes you.”
“So did you that new toy of yours to work?,” he replied, changing the subject.
“Sort of, we're stilling working out the kinks...” She turned to look at the computer screen, typing in some commands. “I'm not sure how well it will work, but we should be able to tell the computers to look for same sorts of things we read at the stadium.”
Back across town, Roy shifted in his seat. “Good,” he said. “Talk to you later, Riki.”
Erika sighed and hung up the phone. She stared at it for a moment and then, because she was alone, she allowed herself a small smile.
* * *
“KANPAI!”
Naoko and a small group of SMASH Troopers shouted in unison, lustily crashing their cups together in one of the rec rooms back at SMASH HQ. On the table in front of them were photos and knick-knacks that had belonged to Daryl, which had been liberally splashed with booze after many toasts in his honor. Several of the troopers reeled as they succumbed to the alcohol, and Naoko slapped the one next to her on the back.
“Ah!,” she chided. The man flinched. She then punched him in the arm. “That's two for flinching, Aramaki!”
“Y-yes Ma'am!,” he said, rubbing his arm.
Several of the others broke into song as she slid an arm around his neck. The two of them broke off, taking a few steps towards the door. She held her cup in her hand, but still managed to put at him with her index finger.
“I *hic* saw you at the stadium today, Aramaki...”
“Yes Ma'am!,” he said again, nervously.
“You were looking good. Much better then our last drill.”
“Thank you, Ma'am!”
She leered at him, and he didn't pull away, although he was a little put off by another one of her drunken propositions.
“Say... you wanna... take five in your rack? After today, I could use a good...”
She slurred the last word, which was drowned out by a crash from behind them. One of the Troopers had started dancing on a table, which now broke under his weight. The others were laughing and helping him up. Aramaki blushed and nodded. With a sly smile, Naoko steered him out of the room.
“The boys are having a good time, they won't even know we're *hic* gone....”
* * *
Sakura slipped her shoes off as she entered the Kusanagi home, and Ness followed suit. She stepped up out of the landing and poke her head into the kitchen.
“I'm home!,” she said brightly. Her father looked up from his paper and her mother turned from the sink. Her little brother looked up excitedly from his homework.
“Nee-chan!,” he shouted, slipping out of his chair and rushing her. She smiled and dropped down to scoop him up.
“Daisuke, what are you doing up this late?”
Her little brother looked at her very seriously.
“Nee-chan, Mom and Dad said you need to stay out of trouble from now on.”
Sakura laughed and set her brother down, going to her Mom and Dad.
“Mother, father... I'm back,” she said quietly. Her Dad and Mom smiled through happy tears. Her mother stroked her cheek while her father hugged her fiercely.
“Sakura...,” he said.
“We were so worried...,” she added.
“NESS!,” Daisuke shouted, clamoring for a hug for him too. “Did you win?,” the little boy asked. Ness smiled and tousled his hair.
“If those monsters hadn't been there, you bet it I would've won.”
“ALRIGHT!”
“Now, be a good boy and go finish your math homework so you can go to bed.”
“Awwww...,” Daisuke said, but went ahead and went back to finishing his homework. Sakura's mother and father looked at her.
“Monsters...?,” Mrs Kusanagi said.
“Vectors,” Mr. Kusanagi added. They looked at Sakura, she nodded. Smiling to his daughter, Mr Kusanagi extracted himself from their embrace, and made his way over to Ness.
“Ness, can I talk to you?,” he said. Ness nodded and dutifully followed Sakura's Dad into the next room. Mr. Kusanagi turned around once they were in his office, and he shut the door behind them.
“Have you been to see your mother yet?,” Mr. Kusanagi asked. Ness' smile disappeared and he lowered his head, not meeting Mr. Kusanagi's gaze. “Ness...,” he said in a tone of disapproval he usually reserved for his own son. Ness wouldn't look at him, so Mr. Kusanagi took a step forward and put his hands on the younger man's shoulders.
“She's worried about you, Ness. I know sometimes she... she's not herself, but you are a good boy. If you let her know you're alright, I'm sure it'll help her be herself again,” he said. “You gave us all a scare out there today. Twice,” he added, nudging the boy knowingly.
Ness didn't look at him for a second, but when he did, he was smiling brightly.
“You're right, Mr. Kusanagi! I'll go to her right away!,” Ness practically leapt across the room to the door, but paused to turn and bow, effusively adding. “I'm very sorry for upsetting all of you today. I'll be going now!”
And with that, he was out the door. Mr. Kusanagi shook his head and smiled for a moment, but as he heard the door slam he slid his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose. As he went to put the glasses back on, he paused to look up at the photo on the wall. In it, a younger version of himself was posed with an older man who resembled Ness.... and one who looked like a younger version of Mr. Kusanagi and his wife. The smile lessened, and maybe turned a tad nostalgic. Mugen-kun, he thought silently.
* * *
Roy slid into the sidewalk noodle booth silently, paying no attention to the sleeping drunk on the other end of the short counter. The venerable elder placed a steaming bowl in front of him, and Roy dug in after an acknowledgment of thanks.
* * *
Across town, Ness slipped inside the front door of his Mom's house. Removing his shoes he padded through the darkened entryway towards the kitchen. He passed photos and posters on the walls of his father throughout his career – from his days as a young amateur to the last years of his sizable career. Peering through the gloom, Ness could see his mother slumped over the kitchen table, a bottle just out of reach of one hand an empty glass next to it. Drunk again. The ashtray on the table was overflowing with the stubs of a dozen menthol cigarettes. He flipped on the light.
“Mom...,” he said, moving over to wake her up. She stirred, grumbling in her sleep. Ness frowned and let go of her, instead he picked up the bottle and glass. Walking to the sink, he set the glass down inside it and emptied the bottle into the drain, frowning.
“...Ness?”
He turned at the sound of her voice. Her eyes were puffed and raw from crying, and bloodshot thanks to the booze. Her mascara was a mess, and layers of caked on make up had rubbed off onto her overpriced gaudy designer clothes. Chizuka Regal had once been a beauty in her youth, but the years hadn't been kind – not that the nights of chain smoking and drinking helped.
“I'm home,” he said guardedly.
She blinked, shading her eyes.
“You're home?,” she said. “That's all you have to say to me?,” she said. Ness' jaw set, and he turned away to finish emptying the bottle into the drain. She squinted, trying to make out what he was doing. “What're you... stop that!,” she snarled, lurching to her feet. She tried to snatch the bottle out of his hand. He pulled back, and the bottle evaded her grasp.
“You're drunk,” he said, but he stopped pouring the bottle out. She looked at him indignantly.
“I'm a grown woman. I'll do what I want – and I won't have you lecturing me!,” she grabbed the bottle and set it on the counter. Ness looked away. She turned back to the kitchen table, retrieving her cigarettes she lit up. Ness made a face, coughing as murky blue smoke began to fill the room. Exhaling, Chizuka composed herself as she sat back down. She tapped the cigarette against the ashtray.
“So what happened today? The news said you'd almost gotten yourself killed again.”
Ness' hand curled around the lip of the counter top. He clenched his jaw.
“Well, you going to tell me what you did this time? I bet it was something stupid, just like your father.”
“Don't talk about Dad that way!,” Ness snarled, whirling on her. Her head bobbed in indignant surprise.
“Excuse me?,” she said. Ness gritted his teeth and whirled around.
“I said don't talk about father that way! He deserves more respect then that!”
“He deserves more respect then that? Your father was a fool, driving those crotch rockets like a maniac... the only thing he deserved is what he got. And you will too, if you keep it up.”
Ness' lip quivered.
“Dad loved riding, he -”
“You're damn right he loved it. More then he loved me! He should've married his bike. Instead, he left me all alone...,” she motioned to herself, “...like... this...,” she started to choke up with tears of self pity. Ness knew what was coming, but he couldn't move. Chizuka wailed.
“He left me alone and OLD...,” she sobbed, her mascara smearing some more. But when she looked at Ness, the tears gave way to hate. “And you...,” she hissed, rising to her feet. Ness tried to make himself small as she got in his face. “And you want to go and leave me too!,” she snarled, poking him in the chest. He winced. “Don't you?” He looked away. She grabbed his face in one hand and yanked it back, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “Say it!”
Ness pushed her off and struggled around her, trying to leave. But she followed him.
“That's right, run away! You spineless little coward! Just like your father! You're going to waste your life riding stupid bikes or lose it bleeding out on the fucking asphalt. So get out! Go fuck your little grease monkey girlfriend! She's a piece of trash just like you, anyways!”
Ness whirled, slapping her so hard her head snapped sideways and she fell to the floor. She put a hand to her cheek and looked at him in surprise.
“Don't you ever talk about Sakura or Dad like that ever again,” he said tightly.
“I'm your mother... how dare you disrespect me like that!,” she squawked, struggling to her feet.
“Maybe you should start respecting yourself, then.” Ness spat, and turned to leave.
Chizuka looked around for a long moment in disbelief, and then burst into tears. I need a drink, she thought sullenly. And so she pulled herself up and shuffled to the counter to see if she could drown out the pain with what was left in the bottle.
* * *
Ness dashed out the front door into the cool night air, pausing on the sidewalk outside the house's gate for a moment to take in a deep breath. He listened for his Mom to pursue him outside in another screeching flurry of scorn, but there was nothing. Looking both ways down the sidewalk, he picked a direction at random and just went. He ignored the man that passed him going back towards his house, although he did make a face once past him in the shadow of a tree. On a normal night, Ness would've stopped and made sure the man was okay. But not tonight. He just needed to get away.
* * *
Roy paused in between the final slurps of noodle as his phone rang.
“Eh?,” he said, noodles dangling from his mouth. Slipping the phone out of his pocket, he ran his thumb along the touchscreen to see who it was. He put it to his ear.
“Riki, what is it?,” he said around a mouthful of udon.
“The computer's picking something up in your area,” she replied. Roy swallowed and replied.
“What is it?”
“I'm not sure – we were calibrating the new program for the director, and it picked up a reading. Could be a MIASMA outbreak waiting to happen, or it could be nothing.
“Put a chopper in the air,” he said, “I'll be in my car shortly to coordinate.”
“Got it,” Erika replied, and then she was gone.
Clicking the phone off, Roy looked to the noodle stand owner.
“Thanks,” he said, depositing money and a sizable tip next to his bowl. The old man nodded.
Roy ducked back out under the cloth partition and into the night, heading for his car.
* * *
Back at the Regal residence, Chizuka sitting in the bathroom brushing her hair out, staring off into space. There were photos her like in the rest of the house, but many of these were private family moments – a younger, happier Chizuka on her first date with Mugen, the day Ness was born, precious Christmases and even the year they went to America to take Ness to Disneyland. Oh Mugen. she thought sadly, blinking back a few stray tears as she looked at the photos on the wall. She sat the brush down and picked up the glass, taking another shaky drink. As she turned the water on and started to wipe the smeared make up from her face when she heard a noise outside. She stopped, listened. She heard it again. It was definitely outside. She called out.
“Ness?,” she said, but there was no reply. “Ness, you better get in here right now.”
Nothing. He's probably trying to get his spare bike out of the garage. But why would he be making so much noise? It's like he's flailing around out there. Moving quietly, Chizuka made her way to the back screen door, pausing in the hall closet to pick up the baseball bat she kept there. Ever since Mugen died and Ness was too busy to be at home like a good boy, she had to take care of herself.
Gripping the bat, she crept up to the door and paused, but she couldn't see anything in the darkened back yard. She darted forward, flicking on the light. Her eyes widened there was a man back there! It was the same salariman Ness had passed on the street, but she'd never seen him before. Burglar!
“Hey! What are you doing back there!,” Chizuka shouted, throwing the sliding glass door open.
The man shuttered and looked at her, black bile bubbling up from his mouth.
Chizuka's eyes widened.
* * *
Roy flipped on the cabin light as he slipped into the Chrysler-Lexus, pulling the gullwing door down after him. Plugging his ear piece in, he keyed the channel for the police chopper SMASH occasionally bogarted for moments like this.
“This is Inspector Krueger, report.”
“Inspector, we're currently combing the area you assigned us to, but so far we've not encountered anything.”
“Understood, keep me posted,” Roy replied, switching the car's ignition on and pulling away from the curb.
* * *
Chizuka held the bat lengthwise, slamming it into the burglar's throat as he tackled her. She went down with a shriek. The burglar brought his face down close to hers, and she made a face as he seemed to sniff her cheek, leaving a streak of goo behind. Gathering her strength, Chizuka shoved the man off of her and scrambled away. She brought the bat up, wild-eyed. The man's eyes were milky white and he shuttered as he stumbled towards her, trying to claw at her pajamas. Chizuka swung for the fences and there was a satisfying crack as the man's head snapped sideways and he slumped to the ground. He didn't move. Oh god, Chizuka thought, did I kill him? She took a tentative step closer to get a better look, and let out a shriek when the man seizured, and his skin started to bubble.
And then white light spilled down on them from above.
* * *
Roy clicked his ear piece on. “Go ahead,” he said. The city slipped by as he drove on one of the highrise freeways, doing the only thing he could do – look for trouble.
“Sir, we've got something... there appears to be a disturbance in the backyard of a residence, but one of the parties is on the ground and convulsing... oh dear god...”
“What?,” Roy asked, but he already knew.
“We've got a Vector.”
“Roger, I'll take care of it.”
* * *
“Ma'am, back away and go back inside,” a voice boomed from high in the sky. Chizuka shielded her eyes from the light. The voice continued now, to the neighborhood below.
“Attention, there is a MIASMA outbreak in the area, please stay in your homes. SMASH has been notified. If you have protective masks or a saferoom, we suggest you use them now. I REPEAT...,” the helicopter pilot said, repeating himself again. Chizuka looked down on the dying man and shrieked when she saw him transforming.
His skin was gone, leaving a bleached skeleton with bristly hair in its wake. The man's skull had ran together like hot wax, remolding itself into a hideous bony boar's head. The Bone Boar Vector gurgled, and Chizuka screamed.
* * *
Naoko stopped as she heard the klaxon go off in the barracks.
“Inspector?,” came Aramaki's confused reply. She'd already swung her legs off of his bunk and was pulling her tank top back on.
“That's for us Aramaki. Time to go,” she said, tying her hair back in a messy ponytail. Aramaki stared wide eyed and flushed at her as she left, just like that.
“But -,” he said, as she disappeared into the corridor. After a moment, her head reappeared and she shouted at him to hurry it up. “Ye-yes ma'am!,” he sputtered, and frantically went looking for his missing pants and dignity.
* * *
Roy roared down the off ramp and went careening around a curve as he headed for the civilian police chopper monitoring the MIASMA outbreak. There was little traffic this time of night, so he didn't bother with following traffic laws, but he did have to swerve to miss some kid walking along the sidewalk. After a moment, he glanced back in his rearview. Regal?, he thought, shifting gears.
* * *
Ness squawked as he scrambled out of the big sedan's way. He shook a fist at the maniac's receding brake lights, and then stopped, recognizing the car. Inspector Krueger? He took off in a mad dash after Roy's car.
* * *
Naoko stood in the doorway of the Aerodyne as she shouted at the SMASH Troopers assembling on the hangar deck. Technicians pulled equipment away from Naoko's craft and another that was carrying the first responders to the hot zone. A short distance away many more were loading onto a pair of ground troop transports. It was like moving a mobile hospital and a SWAT team on a moment's notice every time they had a call, but the troops were well seasoned and it was an orderly chaos.
“We've only sighted one Vector in the area, but after today the Chief's taking no chances. We're to contain this infection to a one block radius! We can't have MIASMA outbreak in the middle of a residential district! Move it! Aramaki, you're with me!,” she ducked back into the aerodyne and strapped in. A moment later, Aramaki appeared in the doorway and sat down across from her. She tossed Daryl's case into his lap.
“Ma'am?,” he said.
“You've tested at a passable synch rate, right?,” she asked. Aramaki nodded nervously.
“B-but I'm not actually cleared to deploy the system, Dr. Bell wanted me to wait until next month to start trials...,” he said. Naoko didn't look at him as the aerodyne lifted off into the air shaft, bathing them all in alternating slashes of gold and shadow.
“Then you better pray you're not needed,” she said quietly.
* * *
Roy got out of the car, looking around the gullwing door to see if anyone was out front. Nothing. He glanced up at the chopper still circling overhead and gave a jaunty wave as he rounded the car and vaulted over the gate. He tried the front door. Locked. He leaned back, looking down the front of the house. One of the bushes looked like someone had ran right through it. Jogging around to the side of house he pushed his way though the half closed wooden gate and walked right in to another scene of gore.
There as blood and black ichor on everything, and the remains of a mans' body. It looked like something had eaten its way out from the waist up, leaving a broken pair of legs and lower torso to be strewn across the concrete patio. Light from the chopper filtered through the ivy hanging from the wooden beams that served as a roof for the porch's seating area, and strange shadows danced over the carnage as a result.
“Hey, this is Inspector Kreuger of SMASH – anyone back here?,” he called. A choked cry replied, and Roy went to look for whoever it was back here. He found the woman scratched up and cowering under an overturned jumble of furniture. Roy knelt down. “Here, let me get you out of here”
Chizuka looked over but didn't recognize the man in front of her. Instead, she pointed over his shoulder and screamed. Roy rolled to the side just in time as the Bone Boar Vector charged from a gaping whole in the side of the house.
* * *
Ness rounded the last corner breathlessly, and his eyes widened to see Inspector Krueger's car in front of his Mom's house. Ness put his head down and ran, only to stumble to a stop as an aerodyne roared in from overhead, and SMASH Troopers dropped down on coils of rope.
Naoko landed nimbly in front of him, sending him sprawling.
“Eh? You again?,” she said. A flustered looking young man landed next to her, nearly falling on his ass. She turned to leave as a pair of armored troopers moved to pull Ness away from the house.
“This area is off limits, sir,” one of them said as they hauled him to his feet and pushed him back down across the street. Ness hopped up and down, trying to yell at Naoko over the troopers' heads.
“Hey! That's my Mom's house!”
“Aramaki,” she said. Ignoring Ness. Aramaki looked forlornly at Ness before trotting after Naoko, clutching a case to his chest.
* * *
Roy stood up as the Bone Boar Vector reared around, snorting its massive skeletal head. Brandishing his badge, Roy addressed the Vector.
“Hey, you're under arrest,” he said. The Vector squealed in rage and charged.
“Henshin,” he replied, slamming the badge into its slot.
“Armor up...” the belt announced, lines of light crisscrossing his body. Ghostly plates and panels appeared around Roy's body as the Vector slammed into him, punching through the wall and into living room. Thankfully, the energy corona was not merely for show. As the armor components sunk down onto Roy's skin, they snapped into corporal reality, transforming him into Kamen Rider Vulcan. “...engage Vulcan,” the belt finished.
Vulcan pushed the Vector off and immediately went for the gun that materialized on his hip.
“Horn Magnum.”
The Vector staggered back some more as Vulcan peppered it with fire. Naoko came around the corner then, and snarled as she saw the Vector. She slammed her own badge into her belt.
“Armor up... Engage Fulcrum.”
Fulcrum was a streak of stormy purple violence as she leapt onto the Vector from behind, pummeling its thick skull. Meanwhile, Aramaki knelt by Chizuka and after a few moments of pleading got her to flee towards the front of the house with him.
“Nice of you to drop by,” Vulcan quipped as Fulcrum continued to pummel the Vector's head. He stepped to the side, trying to stay out of the Bone Boar's reach. It squealed in frustration, thrashing back and forth.
“What happened... did your.... girlfriends'... husband... come home?,” Fulcrum replied, grunting as the monster whipped her around. She couldn't hold on any more. “Oooph!,” she grunted, as she went down. The Vector followed her.
“Get back here!,” Vulcan said, chasing after him.
Fulcrum ducked the Bone Boar's wicked claws, which left long furrows in the wall behind her. Looking off to her side, she could see the front sitting room, and the spot lights of the SMASH team perimeter. If she could lure it into the open, she'd be able to maneuver around it again.
Vulcan squeezed off more shots into the Vector's back, causing it to stumble as Fulcrum positioned herself. “Mantis Knuckle,” the belt said, as her arms were encased in oversized savagely studded gauntlets. She slugged the Bone Boar repeated in the gut, but it took it like a champ, barely even fazed. Naoko's eyes widened inside her helmet, but she took some comfort in the fact she'd pissed it off enough that it was sure to follow her.
* * *
“Please, this way Ma'am...,” Aramaki said, motioning for her to follow the two troopers who came forward with a blanket to pull her out of the hot zone.
“MOM!,” Ness shouted. He got around the two SMASH Troopers and made it forward only to be restrained again. He looked on helplessly. Aramaki, having turned to watch the commotion behind him, spun back around as Fulcrum came crashing through the glass of the front room.
“Aramaki, now!,” she shouted.
“Huh?!,” Aramaki turned in time to see the Bone Boar Vector come charging out after her, furiously gouging at the air with its bony tusks.
“Ahhhh!,” he screamed, falling on his backside. The case slid away out of his grasp. The Bone Boar turned to look at him and charged.
“Aramaki!,” Vulcan growled as he leapt into the air, latching onto the Vector's back and pinning its arms. Fulcrum fell back. This had not gone to plan. She looked at Aramaki and pointed to the case.
“Get the case!,” she shouted. Aramaki looked at her wildly, looked at the Vector. “What are you waiting for?!,” Fulcrum shouted. The young SMASH trooper scrambled to his feet, but the Vector broke free and lurched after him. Aramaki picked up the case only to be knocked back down again, the Vector rearing up as the case went flying. It tumbled and fell open, the belt and badge skidding to a halt near Ness. Aramaki screamed as the Bone Boar brought an enormous hoofed foot down on one arm.
“Let. Me. Go!,” Ness yelled, and broke free again. This time, one of the troopers stumbled. The other couldn't stop him before he scooped the belt up. Locking it around his waist, Ness held the badge up on high.
“You tried to hurt Mother... I won't stand for this!”
He slammed Daryl's badge into the belt, and it responded.
“Armor up... Engage Thrust.”
Thrust charged as Fulcrum and Vulcan started in alarm. Leaping over the SMASH troopers, Kamen Rider Thrust landed next to the Vector and slammed into it with a left cross. The monster staggered back in a mixture of surprise and the unexpected force of the blow. Aramaki looked up in dazed confusion before fainting. Thrust stood over the young man's body and chastized the Vector.
“And I won't allow anyone to die for me again!”
“Mach Saber,” the belt announced, and a glow sprung up on Thrust's hip. Clenching his fist around the glow, a hilt appeared. As he drew it away from his body, a wickedly curved scimitar materialized out of some subspace pocket that emerged from the side of his belt. Thrust let loose with a rising diagonal slash from left to right. The Bone Boar reeled. Regaining their composure, Fulcrum and Vulcan joined in.
“Horn Magnum,” Vulcan's belt said as he let loose with a stream of blaster fire. The Bone Boar squealed in agony as the energy pierced its tough hide. It staggered around with its unscathed back now facing Thrust.
“That's it! Cut him again!,” Fulcrum cried. Thrust looked at her and nodded, hopping into the air before bringing the blade down with all his weight. The SMASH Troopers brandished their weapons in a firing line, and Thrust took it as a cue to get the hell out of the way.
“FIRE!,” Vulcan shouted.
The SMASH Troopers let loose in unison with Vulcan's Horn Magnum and the Bone Boar Vector jerked back and forth under the onslaught. As the Vector reeled, Fulcrum leapt into the air and lashed out with her fierce finisher.
“RIDER KICK!,” she shouted, bisecting the monster with an incandescent scissor kick.
The Vector reeled and then collapsed, exploding into a fountain of energy. The fire danced on Thrusts eyes. He looked at his hands”
“Such power...,” he said reverently, before closing them into fists. “With this I can change the world!.”
The SMASH Troopers raised their guns again, but Vulcan stopped them with a motion. He moved next to Fulcrum, and much like that afternoon, the two looked on at lanky armored figure who was a mere shadow against the Vector's funeral pyre.
SECOND EVOLUTION – COMPLETE
(End Theme: War is Necessary by Nas)
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