Bona-Fide Mastah
"Erase...manipulate...my dear boy, time isn't an object to higher beings like myself." Gaziim chuckles. "Why...with a single motion..."
Clunk. Izzei's injuries and maims all vanish, reverting to his prime. The man sighs pleasantly. "I could make you as you were...feed off the negative memories...however..."
Clunk. The deformations return just as quickly. "Such memories don't suit my palate. And sadly, one can only recycle memory like that for so long. Even history get's stale after a long time. And with the harvest..."
He stops, a wide smirk stretches across his face. "My, my...now there's an interesting specimen."
He turns on his heels to face the wolfman. "Tell me, my child. How would you like to see a sliver of my...talents."
The way he says it, it's not a question.
It's a command.
The hub
Ishi starts at presence interrupting his fruitless staring in the direction the other riders had gone, and gives a sigh of relief that it was just the man who'd played medic after their hasty retreat to the library.
"Yeah, you could say that... Starting with 'how long until you send the cutout with the magic sack after them'." he mutters in response.
An Ordinary Oddball
Dinner Date
Taylor said, "Good, good. You're going to stay. That's all I need to hear." She leaned over a bit and petted Atro's hand softly.
"Here, have more vegetables, Nancy," Taylor then murmured, brushing the rest of the vegetables onto Nancy's plate.
"Thanks, Mom," Nancy mumbled, currently wolfing down her food. "Man, I didn't know running around with my friends would be so tiring."
"Well, you are young and growing. You need your food," Taylor batted her lashes at Atro. "I have no problem cooking for everyone...especially my darling."
Nancy spooned down the last of the vegetables and at last, the plates were cleared. She got up and took the plates to the kitchen. The sounds of the water turning on and Nancy scrubbing dishes could be heard.
Taylor took this opportunity to run a hand through her hair...and shapeshift into what looked like a male version of herself. The Unraveler brothers would recognize him as Taelr. He was right in front of them all along!
"Well now, brothers," Taelr spread his hands invitingly, with a gentle smile. "What's the sudden interest in me and our dear little homunculus child about? Surely there's more to this than my looks, smarts, and singleness?"
"Consider that you now have to date me for Nancy's sake, and keep your promise to me just now. Do you feel good about yourself and what you've done? Oh...and take what Nancy said and did to heart. She will gut you like a pig if you lay a finger on me."
"With that said, let's have a healthy love life, yes?"
Edited by JumpingFruit on Oct 14th 2018 at 9:21:23 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Surrounded by weirdoes
"Are you ready?" Katsumi asked as Kenshi went into the track they had on the base. It was something that the three questioned how the doc managed to build half this stuff, but it being magic and twisted a few laws of reality a few times explained more than a few things. Among them, how someone with obvious physical handicaps could do all of this without help.
Kenshi was on his bike, the lion looking fierce as the boy braced for it. Of course, he knew how it would go.
With a strong roar, the Roar Roll came to life, and the race began.
If it could be called a race.
It became immediately obvious that the bike wasn't made with human strength in mind, as Kenshi was reduced to clinging to it, as the sentient machine jumped, flipped and accelerated on its own.
"Looks pretty smooth" Kotaro commented, with a cup of Ramen in one hand and a camera on the other.
"Not helping, Koh" Katsumi scolded, giving him a slap.
By then, Kenshi could barely hold on, and tried to talk to the lion bike.
"Come on" He said, trying to not lose his grip "Work with me"
With whatever strength he had, he tried to direct the bike, even managing to strike the switch, changing it to the sleeping mode.
"Screw this" He said, as he finished the track.
"That's cheating" Doctor Aoi commented.
"Well, it works right, aside from the attitude problem" He replied, panting.
Kotaro laughed as he patted him on the back.
"Got it on tape" Holding the camera up, before going back to his noodles. "Nice run, by the way, Ken"
Katsumi handed him a drink.
"Thanks, Kat" He panted, taking a good gulp "I needed that"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah" He got off, but sat down leaning on the bike "Barely feel my arms, though"
"Too bad this can't go online" Kotaro laughed "I'd get so many views"
Despite himself, Kenshi laughed a bit. With that, the Explorers took a rest. God knows they need it.
Date walked out, ready to send someone else into the fight. As Shiki decided to go make some research, Ozel knew what he should do.
A portal opened as he walked to a... figure. There wasn't much to say about it, the most noticeable thing is that it was just a big black cloak with the only thing showing was a mask of a dragon. But there was something strange, it was as if the shadows wrapped around the figure, to hide anything that could identify.
"Master" Ozel greeted with a bow.
"OZEL" A deep, booming voice called, devoid of humanity, but the presence of fear would have made anyone run. "WHAT NEWS DO YOU BRING?"
"We found a new ally, Master" The Dukep revealed "A promise of power came, in exchange for our help in conquering what's beyond this world" A heavy silence loomed over the room for a moment as the Master contemplated the words. Taking a look at the petition, he spoke again.
"WHAT GUARANTEES DO WE HAVE?" The Master asked, already planning its move.
"We have to wait and see, Master" Ozel said "But we shall not move without having a true advantage"
"I SEE" It said, contemplating "VERY WELL, I SHALL PREPARE THIS ARTIFACT, BUT KNOW THAT I WILL NOT BE FOOLED, A PROTECTION SHALL BE MADE, SO I DECREE"
"Indeed, sir" Ozel said, retreating.
A chilling laugh filled the void.
Wake me up at your own risk.
Up on Melancholy hill.
Seisen shrugged a little bit. "On the homefront, fine if anything. The others are currently home, resting their minds before another night as before strikes them. And make no worries, you weren't out for too long, a few hours, at most." He nodded to his companion before turning back to Ishi. "And I can assure you, that was not my intent. We were to bring you here, and inform you of what needed to happen. Hawthorne...likes to go off the rules it seems, and I apologize for the whiplash as a result." He chuckled. "We haven't even been properly introduced! My name is Seisen."
...
The look of silent awe in Izzei's eyes was almost...heartbreaking. Even worse when they returned to the dead state as before, reduced to another freak, a mangled fraction of what he once was.
But this...this wouldn't happen again. He was here for a reason.
And he would be REWARDED.
"My Master...has sought for your particular set of skills." He said, in a halting growling tone as he gestured with his good arm. "He...does not have what he needs yet, but when the time comes...all he told me was that...he would need you to erase some unfortunate drawbacks to something...important he's plotting."
He paused for a moment. "My master is very strong. He wishes, as a sign of good faith, to set up...an alliance, if you will."
...
It was almost COMICAL how silent and stunned the three brothers turned. On some cosmically ironic way, they should have seen this coming...and yet, here they were!
Atro was the first one to speak. "Ah, yes, well, I can assure you this doesn't change our plans-"
"It does." Lechez said, fighting back anger as he drank from his drink.
"And it in no way hinders what we're going to do-"
"It does." Klothos mumbled under his breath.
Glaring at his brothers, he finished. "So, I suppose we'll keep up this charade a bit longer, isn't that right, brother?" He sneered. "For Nancy's sake."
...
It was shockingly easy to stalk the poor, innocent people on Ventus. Capable of climbing on the walls, capable of hiding in plain sight was childs play for the new Ichi.
All he had to do was wait.
This place was rich in the wild, chaotic energy that seemed to swim about in the air.
All he needed to do was wait for someone to be foolish enough to show off a moment of example of it.
And then...well.
He WAS quite hungry...
...
"Master." Teka whispered as she appeared beside Geki, who remained on the broken world of Glitch. "I have acquired the services of The Dukeps, as instructed. Now, may I please-"
"Your eye and your pride will be returned to you when I have my demand, Teka." he spoke calmly. "Do not mistake my generosity as mercy." He glanced at her. "That eye is a reminder of your failure, and will continue to be just that until I get exactly what I want."
Gulping, Teka nodded. "Y-Yes master..."
Is it selfish that I'm happy as we pass the setting sun?
An Ordinary Oddball
"Perfect," Taelr trilled, steepling his fingers.
"Atro, you will perform a bonding activity with Nancy once a week, and you can choose what it is. You will be affectionate to Nancy and me. Lechez and Klothos, you are uncles now. You two must act the part—whatever that means is up to you, but don't interpret this as permission to be evil."
"It's for your own sake, not Nancy's, that you keep up this charade. She wants me to be happy while dating you. If she fnds out, well..."
"Off with your heads."
Just as Nancy came in, Taelr turned back into Taylor, which Nancy didn't notice.
"Mom, it's late. I'm going to bed. Goodbye, mom, not-dad, and not-uncles," Nancy said lazily, and went to her room. She fell asleep as soon as she was in bed.
"Be polite, dear," Taylor murmured. She turned back to the three Unravelers. "Well, you heard what she said. It's late and we should all be heading to bed..."
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Bona-Fide Mastah
“Alliance...now there’s a word I haven’t heard in a few...oh, lifetimes? There’s a good ring to it. This time...well I already know I’m going to accept. But this time...yes, this time, very interesting.”
Gaziim nods. “So yes, dog, I’ll accept my alliance wholly. My question to you...is can you handle my Gaitians?”
He raises his cane high in the air, the orb shines briefly. Then, he brings it down.
Thunk.
In an instant, they’re standing on air...no, no it only seems that way. It’s like Izzei’s eyes have become a screen, no matter where he looks, he can only see this one street, one, singular man, in a blue shirt.
“Yes, he’s got some gumption. Some...potential! Yes, He’ll do nicely.”
He chuckles. “Just a little...tweak of the timeline.”
He doesn’t move the cane...but the clunk still sounds.
“Witness the birth of a new, higher life form.”
At this word, the man gasps, clutching on his chest as his very being seems to pulsate. Muscle expands, skin cracks. Blood boils and bone snaps. The screams grow louder. New limbs burst into being. Fingers become claws. The face expands and twists into a mask of terror, bones restructure to support new, massive wings.
“Behold...my Gaitian! My Herald!”
Gaziim cackles, watching his creation take off from their rooftop perch. “Fly...fly and spread fear! Fly and take what is rightfully yours!”
Below Ventus was the surface; once a rich world populated with flora and fauna, now there was little. While some survived and a few even thrived, one could go far without seeing a single living thing and there were vast swathes of wasteland. But lower still, deep under the ground, was some activity.
Beneath rock and security doors and even runes hastily painted on the ceiling, was an oddly luxurious bunker. One large room was packed with a random assortment of furniture; a throne looking like it was pulled out of a castle, a plush couch, a jukebox playing soothing music off a vinyl disc. Two figures sat hunched over a chessboard, the pieces a random assortment of wood, metal, clay and a miniature that appeared to be a half-orc barbarian.
"Queen smash pawn."
A large muscular woman with a horse's head, her long mane tied back into a ponytail, picked up her queen and slammed it down onto another piece, sending the pawn flying across the room.
Her opponent, a fox-woman with a cloak of flowing waves draped over her chair behind her, simply smiled. She made a small motion with her hand and water rose up from out of a glass on the table and onto the board, pushing her rook forwards.
"Checkmate."
The water swept under the black king and gushed up, throwing the piece into the air.
Gladius, the horse-woman, let out a deep growl and grabbed the king out of mid-air before swallowing it whole.
"Oh, not again."
A third voice came from the other end of the room as somebody else entered; as far as looks were concerned he was human but everybody present knew better.
"She's just frustrated, Master Vapidus. I would have been just as annoyed."
"Sure Corona. sure you would. But enough of... this."
Vapidus gestured around the room, at both the chess set and the random materials around it.
"Nothing has got into Ventus since... he arrived. Find something pleasing."
Gladius shuffled back and looked away, having nothing to contribute. As she did, tiny sticks of wood started sprouting from the sofa cushion in front of her. Corona rolled her eyes and stood up, addressing the leader.
"The Rider is a problem, yes. But the boy has never seen the surface. And, well, those aren't all the humans. I've located a group of surface nomads. I believe this presents us with an... interesting opportunity."
Hawthorn looks over at ishi raising his hand to the bridge of his nose. He continues walking over to seisen.
Haw: "I'm sorry about my worse half Rider Alloy, it's a state of being totally uninhibited. Sensai I'm not at one hundred percent but im in fighting shape now for some reason. So heimdall where is the rainbow bridge going today."
Hawthorn takes his pen out begins spinning it his fingers.
Up on Melancholy hill.
That pain was all too familiar to Izzei.
You look strong enough.
He remembered burning, agonizing pain.
The more you move, the more painful it will be.
It hurt to grow, it hurt to become stronger, it hurt and it wasn't WORTH IT-
You'll thank me later.
His body shifted and his muscles expanded and his skeleton changed and his mind ripped itself apart with a new personality-
Now rise.
Izzei reached up towards his chest with his claw and gulped heavily, his eyes wide and his chest heaving in silent horror.
"I've-I've seen enough. It's...impressive. Master will be thrilled."
...
The three brothers went silent as they did, Atro clenching his teeth with such ferocity his teeth cracked. Once they reached the apartment though, Klotho and Lechez looked to the other.
"Here he comes-"
"OBNOXIOUS LITTLE BRAT." Atro snarled, clenching a fist and letting a wave of power rock out and knock anything not nailed down to the ground. "IF THEY THINK THEY CAN MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME, I'LL SHOW THEM."
"Brother, calm yourself." Shushed Lechez. "We know what their game is now. They've shown their hands, but we haven't shown ours."
"It's true." Klotho nodded excitedly. "We still have Geki's project..."
"...We do, don't we...?" Grinned Atro. "And when that happens...well, I'll enjoy wiping the smug grin off BOTH of their faces..."
...
"Well, I suppose it will depend on what world is decided, no?" Seisen asked, as he held up the book. His eyes suddenly shot down when he noticed a silver page amongst the old, cracked yellow. His eyebrow raised and he lifted a hand to it, pulling the page open and his eyes went wide. Then, his hand shot up, and several portals appeared in front of the Riders.
"Everyone! Big news! We're in the means of getting reinforcements!"
"From the PRIME universes!"
Is it selfish that I'm happy as we pass the setting sun?
Hub
And instead I'm treated like a disposable pawn...
Ishi sighs in annoyance as he decides to keep that thought to himself and ignore Hawthorn's confusing question. At least the fact Toon was unstable was easy enough to understand.
"Well, it's pretty obvious why you'd need all the help you can get with that Geki person out there"
Seisen's announcement was met with a dull blink of confusion. "Prime universe?"
Bona-Fide Mastah
“Prime...Universe?”
“Uooooooah! It’s a big gate!”
“Friends of yours, Azami?”
The portal has appeared in the middle of the command room.
Much confusion abounds.
“I see...in that case...” Yuri starts toward the portal.
An alarm begins to blare in the room.
“Eh?!”
Gaziim claps happily as a distant building is leveled. “I’m sure he will be. This I swear!”
An Ordinary Oddball
Nancy was just taking off her hoodie when the portal appeared. Zipping it back up, she asked, "What Prime Universes?"
She waked into the portal, arriving in the Hub, and was curious about the klaxon noises coming from the portal to Yuriko's world.
Nancy stuck her head into the portal.
"Er...hi? Yuri—uh...Plasma? Everything all right in there?" she asked awkwardly.
It was worth noticing that a silvery needle was wound up tight in the girl's hair bun, like a hair stick. If anyone scanned the newcomer, it had a strange, inexplicable energy signature.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
August was almost back to where the first portal had been when a new one appeared; he simply shrugged his shoulders and stepped through. Despite Seisen's excitement, he simply slumped down into a corner and started passing a small piece of metal though his fingers.
"Prime... universes?"
He looked up for the briefest of moments.
"I don't know what those are."
Surrounded by weirdoes
Kenshi lifted his drink as a celebration, as he started getting up from the floor.
"That sounds promising" He said. Looking at Kotaro and Katsumi looked curious at Seisen.
"Friend of yours?" Kotaro asked.
"Yeah, turns out there is more around than we imagine" Kenshi answered "Don't worry, he can be a bit mysterious, but he is trustworthy" He reassured the others. Katsumi raised an eyebrow.
"We have dealt with that, already" She commented, referring to her mom "Still, we are kind of distorting space time here"
Giving her the peace sign, he was ready to walk in, but Reiju's voice stopped him.
"Kenshi, wait a second" She called, walking in, putting something on his hand "This might come in handy, I finished it"
Looking at it, he realized it's another Selector.
"Well, this can work" He commented after a short inspection. "Thanks, auntie"
She just blushed, as Kenshi said goodbye.
"Good luck" With their fists going to their hearts, a gesture Kenshi imitated, Kotaro and Katsumi said goodbye.
"Hold the fort while I am gone" With that, he went through the gate.
Wake me up at your own risk.
Up on Melancholy hill.
A notable slump was left in Seisen's wake. He cleared his throat and picked himself up. "I...suppose I forgot to mention what the prime universes are...how embaressing."
"See, it's simple, really." He pulled out a page from the book, and began to pull images up of other Riders. "There's a set of Earths that the higher ups have deemed too important to ever allow access to, from me, Geki, or any other world. These are the Prime Universes, they're...basically the seed that began the Multiverse in its entirety. An entire set of Riders and worlds closed off, due to being so important that the idea of even accessing one could cause ripples through Space and Time almost as devastating as Geki's interference would be."
He gestured to the gleaming, silver page in the book. "I've only seen a Silver page once in my entire life, but it's basically a "Free Ally" card for us to use! I assume when enough Gold Cores are in one location long enough, the residual effects of the power of the Cores rubs off on the location, and permits the Guardian-I.E. Me.-To...well, effectively pull someone from the Prime Universe for our aid!"
He paused.
"Or maybe the Higher Ups just wanted me to stop messing around and are taking pity on me. Either way."
Is it selfish that I'm happy as we pass the setting sun?
Hawthorn walks over to Seisen, looks at him and then to the riders who were in the hub or had just arrived.
Haw: "Riders we should form two teams, one team needs to go aid Plasma, the other will go to the "prime" universe. I'll be going to the "prime" universe, any objections?"
Hawthorn crosses his arms, holding his pen in hand.
August groaned and slowly stepped up before looking through Plasma's portal.
"Uh... yeah. You need some help there?"
He then briefly looked back to Seisen and Hawthorn.
"That too. You guys on that?"
Bona-Fide Mastah
"The extra help would be useful...Jung, what's our status?" Yuri taps her chin thoughtfully.
Jung stops herself from poking Nancy in the cheek, as one is wont to do towards heads poking out of portals, and jumps behind her console bank. "Uuuuuuhm...lesse...camera feeds, broadcasts...aha! It's a Bird Type! Clip Core, very large. Currently located in...Area D!"
Himuro nods, then faces the portal. "It is as Plasma says. We are only three Riders. All assistance will be appreciated."
Matthew scoffs. "Whatever."
Yuri thinks for another moment, then takes our the Book and tosses it though to the Hub. "Looks like you guys'll need this more than I do, good luck!"
An Ordinary Oddball
Nancy pulled her head out of the portal.
"That's really neat! I'm going to help Miss Yuriko, though, so good luck, guys!"
And then she poked her head back into Yuriko's world.
"Coming though~!"
Nancy stepped through. Looking down at herself, she realized she wasn't in her Rider garb.
With a declaration of her transformation phrase ("Stitch, sew, cut and pull! HENSHIN!") Nancy stood in front of everyone as a Kamen Rider. Her undramatic entrance kind of ruined things, though.
"...Bird monster, huh. Well, I can fly, so...that might help."
Edited by JumpingFruit on Oct 22nd 2018 at 9:11:57 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
"Eh, what the hell"
August followed after Nancy into Yuriko's world before briefly popping his head back through
"We shouldn't take too long."
He summoned the soaring key and slotted it into the driver.
"Henshin."
With a gust of wind, August transformed into Natura, Soaring Soul. He figured the visual aesthetic probably gave enough clues about this form's relevant abilities.
"Guess we should take flight then."
Natura took a brief look around the control center.
"Or... however you guys do things here."
Edited by FerrousMaelstom on Oct 22nd 2018 at 5:21:17 PM
Hub
"So, they're the templates for this whole thing...?" Ishi mused as the others arrived and immediately went to check on Plasma.
Nodding affirmatively to his own train of thought, he turned to Seisen, "Well, if the Prime worlds are so well protected, you should only need one or two people to go get this rider." and started for Plasma's portal. "So I'm just gonna go make sure Geki hasn't decided to start targeting our worlds. Have fun"
Plasma HQ
On the other side of the portal, the ponytailed young man immediately felt underdressed compared to Yuriko's professionally uniformed coworkers. But rather than transform just yet, he merely stuck his hands in his hoodie pocket and casually looked around. "Looks like you guys take this stuff pretty seriously"
Surrounded by weirdoes
"Good luck guys" Kenshi said, with a wave "I'll go to the Prime universe, hopefully we can avoid causing a mess in there. Take care of them, Plasma"
Passing his dice through his fingers, he looked at the others.
"Okay, let's go" He said.
Wake me up at your own risk.
Hawthorn walks forward towards the portal leading the way.
Haw: " time to go, hurry up."
Hawthorn steps through the portal.
The Hub
Hawthorn stirs from sleep looking around to see a sterile white room. He gets up from the bed In which he was placed leaving the room.
Haw: confused " How long exactly was I out?"
Hawthorn rubs the miraculously scarred arm he tore open before the fight with the queen wasp. He approaches Seisen's podium from which he monitors the rider verses
Haw: "how are things on the proverbial homefront?"
Canvas city Al Malgam's residence
Al Malgam reaches to the top of his head pulling down with a zip reverting to human form after Geki and is well gone.
Al Malgam: annoyed " 'your seat in victory is assured' There is nothing worse than a monster of the week who doesn't know their place!"
Al Malgam reached for one of the ink wells filled with Geki's blood and a large blob of clay mixing the two thoroughly. He sculpts a deviation of Geki himself giving it the features of a rider.
Al Malgam: "Wake little statue it's time to conquer an army"
Al regurgitates one of the now spent but not useless world cores which had now turned pitch black and presses it into the chest of the little statue.
Al Malgam: commanding "Now go little error rider conquer the collective"
The statue begins moving then grow to the size of a man. It moves it hands and looks at the. After hearing the command of its creator, bows to Al as portal forms beneath its feet and it begins to sink.
Edited by kiddthegamer on Oct 14th 2018 at 11:43:14 AM