Samurai Sentai Shinkenger: Desperate Strugg;e (Main thread)

[Kain]

By the time Ayumi and Artemis were escorted backstage Keith had his bandmates head out early. Meaning it would just be him, the girls and of course his guitar. It was probably better that way, whatever those two and their group were hear for it was probably best said in private. As for why he thought it involved him, well it was just a hunch on Keith's part. Most wouldnt bet on a hunch, but with Keith's they always seemed to be right on the money just a little extra sense on his part. "Man Alice looks like I gave you a hell of a workout out there." he said looking closely at his guitar's strings as he sat down on a couch backstage. "Gonna have to replace those things soon.." he muttered before he heard the familiar voice of one of his roadies.

"Hey boss those girls you asked about are here!" he told him after escorting Ayumi and Artemis backstage where Keith had been waiting.

He looked up at the both of them, definatly not his usualy audience. Though certainly not hard on the eyes either. Provided they left the guy in suit behind, buzzkills were never good, he wouldnt mind seeing them at future gigs.

"Nothing quite like the company of a couple of attractive women after a gig, thanks for coming back here." he said "Dont worry, didnt ask you back here for anything perverted, thats not my style anyway." he told them. "In this line of work I more or less taught myself to sort of read the people in the crowd. Generally everyone has a sort of look that suggests that they are looking for a good time to go a little wild and let off some stress. Your group on the other hand looked like it was looking for something. Besides like I said, you four dont look like the types I would see in my audience." he said rather non chalantly as he looked down at his guitar while playing a few chords.

"So really, I find myself being a little curious about what you guys may be looking for here of all places. May not even have anything to do with me, but hey I got a hunch about you guys, may as well see if my track record holds up or not."

 

[Denjin_Zaboga23]

As Keith spoke, Ayumi was quietly studying him in addition to listening to what he had to say. This was....much different from what she expected. It was good that he did not want to do anything scandalous with them, but his image was not what she was expecting. Again, she thought how he looked like some of the J-Rock stars she listened to, but dashed that aside when she got serious and tried to answer to the best of her abilities in English.

"The thing is, we have been rooking...looking for you, Keith...no, Tono-sama." She cursed inwardly how she mixed up L and R in her speech again. Having no "L" equivalent in the Japanese alphabet didn't help things. "Your mother was Japanese, yes? Me and my comrades have asked you to come fulfirr...fulfill your duty to your clan." She then brought out a Shodophone and what looked like a small red and black pentagon shaped object and held it out for Keith to take them. I hope Artemis-san can continue the explanation...my grip on the English language isn't as good as hers...

 

[Kain]

He had continued non-chalantly playing chords as the conversation, until one bit caught his attention, causing him to play a rather odd sounding note. For one thing he was wondering what the hell she had just called him, he had no clue what the hell a Tono-sama was. And then she said that they were indeed looking for him, though his hunch suggested that, it was the fact that they knew about his mother that struck him as odd.

"That is a rather interesting little piece of information you have there." he said looking up at her. "Not too many people know im half-Japanese, after all it doesnt exactly show does it?" he told them confirming that little bit of info as he reached out and took the two odd looking objects that she offered to him. That had to be one of the weirdest phones he had ever seen, yet oddly cool. The weird pentagon thing also caught his eye, he actually recognized the symbol on it. He remembered way back when she made sure he knew how to write it properly, just in case. Was this that particular just in case scenario? While he almost snickered, he decided not to draw attention to her little speech oddities for the time being, this was sounding interesting.

"Duty to clan? Last time I checked I wasnt in any clan. But considering you seem to know some rather interesting stuff, I think I'll keep listening."

 

[MagiPink]

It was evident that Ayumi and others based on his image was not what they were expecting, which admitted on a small scale was surprised as well. However, Artemis found that this made Keith even more interesting coupled with what he had to say smirked lightly he was the one. Though not shared by the others as the loss of their previous lord still clung deeply making even more difficult to see past Keith’s out worldly appearance, Artemis saw something completely different and like his style.

Artemis offered her friend a reassuring smile nodded in signal that she would take over from this point helping bring Keith up to date with their plight. Ayumi’s handle on the English language had greatly show signs of improvement could see there were parts needed more help, wanted to assure her friend was doing perfectly fine. In comparison with the numerous languages it is by most the most difficult of all to master. Their mission searching for their Lord gave a chance to also further broaden speaking it while they’re there. Remembering the letter Hikoma entrusted to them to deliver started to reach inside retrieving it that he written in romaji may not help them.

Keeping her hand resting on the letter closed, “At this point that is all we ask and thank you for being open-minded what we have to say. It may be difficult to grasp at first, but it is imperative you are told Keith-sama. It is as my friend Ayumi-chan mention that there is a responsibility that you have to your clan. Long ago malevolent demonic beings that exist within the realm of the dead on the Sanzu River known as Gedoushu have been gradually rising on a crusade to terrorize humanity by slipping through dark crevices in the world of the living†raising her hand, “I know…sounds quite daft it is true. The Gedoushu feed off the terror stirred making them stronger…and stronger. However, there is only one defense over the generations to hold ground against them from fulfilling their dark desires. The Shiba Clan….your clan…your familyâ€

“Your mother is from that clan….†Interlacing her fingers walked over to one side of the room, “The Shiba Clan alongside with their vassals…our families who pledge their loyalty to the Shiba Clan fight alongside them. What does this have to do with you? The Shiba Clan are the only ones who have the ability to seal them away…alone we four can only hold them back for so long.†The next part needed to be said was the hardest, “The Gedoushu…we had thought killed all of the Shiba Clan….I…†turning to Ayumi “…I’m sorry…Each of us had taken it very hard…†lifting her head back sighed heavily.

“We had thought the Gedoushu destroyed all hope till words that your mother HAD escaped. When Hikoma had discovered this and you were alive here…were dispatch here immediately to your side before the Gedoushu were made aware of this as well and bring you home. Without you Lord-sama…there will be no hope for anyone. We need you, Lord-sama.†The question that lay heavily now on Artemis’s mind even after being told everything believes them or simply laughs. It was rather unfair asking him to give up everything for the sake of fulfilling his duty as the eighteenth lord. “By birthright those belong to you…†motioning to the Shodophone and Origami.

“The Lion Origam€¦.and Shodophone†giving their names “These have been passed along from generation…to generation.â€

 

[Kain]

By this point Keith was starting to wonder if he was on some sort of hidden camera show. Samurai, demons, him being the last of some clan, some weird supernatural river, it all just sounded way too wild. Stuff like that didnt happen in real life, in movies or tv maybe, but not real life. He probably would be laughing it off right now if it werent for a few thoughts swimming around in his head. He remembered how his mother had told him that if anyone claiming to be working for the Shiba clan came for him, that he shouldnt even have anything to do with them unless absolutely necessary. He stood up and set down his guitar before walking over to Artemis until he was less than a foot away from her. He just stood there looking at her face for a while. "Either your one hell of an actor, or your actually serious." he told her before backing away and giving her some space.

"You know, my mother had a rather weird peice of advice for me before I left home. I always found it kind of weird and random." he told the both of them. "She always said to avoid any that said they were working for the Shiba family. As it is I dont think she was on great terms with them, hence that fact I know only half of my family tree. "he added. "At this point im not saying I dont believe you, but still a bit skeptical. It sounds like a pretty wild story after all." At that point the weird pentagon shaped object suddenly moved on it's own and changed itself into it's Lion form. It was as if it was sensing it's new master's apprehension.

"Ok how did you make it do that?"

Meanwhile...........

Within the depths of the underworld on the waters of the the Sanzu river based within their Rokumon Junk, the Gedoshu had been keeping an eye on the Shinkengers. Their suddenly leaving Japan had caught their attention. After all It was certain that they had their backs against the wall against the Gedoshu forces, and couldnt afford to leave. Continuing to observe them through the cracks as they traveled they soon came to learn what they learned.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!!" their leader Doukoku shouted angrily as Shitari informed him.

"T-the Shinkengers have located one last descendent of the Shiba clan. It appears that one of them avoided extermination by living in America." he said. "B-but he is no samurai! If we strike now we can eliminate him before he becomes a problem!"

"What are you waiting for?! I want him dead!"

"Yes sir!" he said before dispatching a horde of Nanashi to the establishment where they had found the las Shiba. Considering the distance no Ayakashi could make the trip without drying up, thus they had to rely on their grunts to do the job. Besides as Shitari said, he was no samurai, just some guy who happened to have the right blood.

Suddenly nanashi began crawling out of practically every small opening inside and outside of the building, eager to find the last Shiba and take him out before he could become an obstacle.

 

[Demetrivamp]

After Artemis and Ayumi had headed to the back Date left the crowd of drunk morons and went back to the bar. Sadly either way he was surrounded by the low class scum that filled this place, and truly Date didn't respect anyone other then his three teammates. The combination of the music and disrespect the people here showed made Date almost lose his mind, but thankfully they would learn in do time.

Nanashi which were basically the Gedoushu's foot soldiers began to enter the bar causing a wide spread panic, but it was Date's call to have some fun and to release some stress. The bar had cleared out and the Nanashi seemed to let the others out, but they looked at the door that lead to the back stage as if they knew where the target was, and that is where Date stood in their path.

Date took his Shodophone out from his front right pocket and he began to draw the kanji for water in the air, and Date then shouted," Shinkenger! Ipputsu Shoujou!" Date then changed into ShinkenBlue and he took the common disc from his belt and slit it onto his Shinkenmaru before speaking," I am the samurai that splits rivers! ShinkenBlue!"

Date then walked three steps forwards and slit a line in the ground before walking back to his original position and he spoke," If you dare cross this line your life will be taken!" Of course being the ignorant Nanashi obeying their orders they charged towards Date who had already sheathed his Shinkenmaru and was preparing for his first strike. As the Nanashi came closer they crossed his line and with a swift draw of his blade he slashed five of the Nanashi causing them to fall to the ground and disperse and that was when Date just kept his ground and defended the door to the backstage against the Nanashi.

 

[Denjin_Zaboga23]

He wasn't even told about half of his family? That at least explained why Keith didn't seem to have the same values as them. His mother probably wanted him to live a normal life...yet, she still had him write one kanji...the fire one...so, even if she hated it, she knew he may have had to fight one day... Ayumi was actually impressed with Keith's mother to have a contingency such as this and was about to ask on the whereabouts of her when the Nanashi started to come in.

Undaunted by this, Ayumi brought out her Shodophone and drew the kanji for Earth. "Ipputsu Shoujou!" With a declaration of that, she was soon transformed into ShinkenYellow and went straight to attacking the few Nanashi around them more aggressively than one would think she would. After dispatching two, she made her own declaration of her arrival. "Shinken Yellow..." She then noticed a Nanashi try to attack her from behind, but a quick spinning slash dealt with him. "Kusurugi Ayumi." After finishing, she looked at Keith.

"Do you have any weapons training, Tono-sama?" She then went into another stance as more Nanashi came backstage.

 

[Kain]

"A little, wouldnt rely too much on it though. Thankfully though im good at improvising weapons. If I can pick it up I can hit some something with it. " he told her. The thing about traveling around alot was the occasionally you ran into trouble, though if you were smart you could think fast and knock your way out of it with whatever you could find. "Also whatever it is your calling me im sure its not an insult but I have no clue what it means so explain it when you get the chance or else its gonna bug the hell out of me." he added as he looked at his shodo phone which he had just been handed. He had noticed how Ayumi had used it moments ago by writing that weird symbol in the air with it. Maybe he could pull off that little trick too, using that one from his memory and that weird pentagon/lion thing that she handed it to him.

"Now lets see if I can pull off that little trick." he said as he opened the shodo phone and folded it into it's brush form. "Alright lets see if I can still do this..." he said as he began to write in the air with it, leaving a glowing red trail as he moved it. It ended up being a little on the rough side but there was no doubting that he managed to draw it at least mostly properly. For a moment there was a bright glowing light around him, and once it faded he found his rocker attire replaced by a suit similar to Ayumi's which possesed a red color and differently styled visor. Even in this hectic situation he couldnt help but take a look at himself. It was strange but somehow just felt right on him, even kind of comfortable.

Eschewing the sayings and the intro that the others did, something which he may have to turn into a habit later he looked back at Ayumi. "Looks like I was the one you were looking for after all." he said. Hoping to continue this streak of looking cool he took the sword hanging off of his belt and swinging it at one of the oncoming nanashi. While the suit itself felt right, the feel of a sword in his hand was still a bit awkward which could be seen in his technique or lack thereof in this case as he landed a few strikes but missed just as many. "Eh nevermind I'll just mess with this thing later." he said before tossing it aside for now and grabbing a Nanashi by the head and slamming it into a wall.

 

[Milky Rose]

While Ayumi and the others fought the Gedoushu inside the bar with Keith, Tsurugi, having transformed into ShinkenGreen, is fighting off the Gedoushu outside -- namely, at the Burger King area not far from the bar. Delivering a slash to one of the Nanashi, he quickly wraps his arm around the neck of another, and proceeds to deliver a bulldog. He then delivers a sweeping kick to one that was about to strike him down, and slashes another one with his ShinkenMaru. All throughout, however, he was getting rather annoyed. "Mou...They had to show up at the worst possible time," Tsurugi complained, delivering a forward kick to one Nanashi followed by a slash to another. Managing to duck under the slash, Tsurugi brought out his Common disk, and slides it onto the Shinkenmaru, proceeding to spin the Disk, transforming it into the Wood Spear. "Get out of my way, you freaks!" Tsurugi yelled, proceeding to strike down the Nanashi company with the Wood Spear.

 

[Demetrivamp]

Date turned away from the fight as he saw the white man turn into the Red Shinkenger. Date was pleased to see we had completed their mission, but that was until the man threw his blade to the ground. Date's swings became more precise and stronger as well, because he truly was venting the anger that was flowing through his veins.

Date ran over and grabbed the Shinkenmaru and looked at the white man," You scum! If you don't wish to wield your blade then do us all a favor and just leave!" Date held his Shinkenmaru as well as the Red shinkenger's and he began to slash away at the Nanashis just feeling disgusted by how their only hope was nothing but useless Gaijin.