Professionally Insane
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- Mar 27, 2005
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- 2,611
Episode 04: "Deception of Clues!"
Taking a deep breath in, holding it, he then jumped into the air along with the Wolf. Quickly extending his right leg outward into a flying side-kick, Kuro watched as the creature tried to fall but it was too late. He connected with the kick and watched as the huge explosion sent the Wolf flying backwards, which Kuro managed to push off and flip back as well. Only that when Kuro landed in a kneeling crouch, the Melody Beast hit the rectangular, concrete pillar—breaking through it and continuing to somersault along the hard floor until finally slamming into the far off wall.
There the Wolf sat, blinking blankly until suddenly sparks began to pop and shower all over it's chest and face. Green energy bolts crackled all over its body until the Monster's head finally dropped lifelessly... and the whole Creature exploded into flames!
Slowly Kuro stood back up and watched the burning fires turn what was left of the Melody Beast into ashes. It was rather quick he thought, and at least this one wasn't going to bother anyonre again... but if there was another one, where did it go? Running over to his thrown sword which laid along the ground, he quickly picked it up and readied for another attack.
Unbeknownst to Kuro, B-Girl watched the fight unfold from behind another concrete pillar that hid her within the shadows. But she wasn't the only one who was hidden in those shadows. Up above watching the fight happen below stood the Armoured Figure, spear in hand like a walking stick and something beside him slowly moved, and gave off mechanical, echo-y sounds. The Figure raised a hand to silence it.
“Not yet,” whispered the Figure.
B-Girl was about to step out and greet her Champion until the sound of footsteps crunching gravel was heard from outside the building. Slipping back behind the pillar she watched again from a far along with the Shadowed Figure who wasn't aware of her presence either. He too though heard the foot steps of someone coming towards the building.
When Kuro heard someone approaching, he noticed there was some grunting and heavy breathing as if someone was struggling. Readying his sword he turned towards the open walled entranced of the lobby and waited...
Suddenly out came Desmond, tearing off the webbing from his shoulder finally. Gathering his surroundings he quickly scanned the area. When he came to see the Grasshopper Humanoid standing with his sword ready, he swiftly raised the glock in both hands.
Kenkage found himself staring down the barrel of the detective's gun, which he doubted would be the last time.
Desmond aimed down the iron sight of his glock, still breathing heavily from the struggle of getting out of that stuff, whatever it was. Honestly at this moment he didn't care, but what he did care about right now was that he had a lead. Right in front of his barrel was a Melody Beast waiting for him to take down. There was no way he was going to get any answers out of it alive, but dead... dead was a lot easier to deal with. Although there was something different about this one, it didn't look like the beasts that have been encountered so far, and in fact it kind of matched the description from that girl.
Kenkage eyed the roughed up detective right back from the razor sharp point on his blade. Shifting his feet, Kenkage's boots crunched up the gravel and sand underneath as he switched his position, tilting the sword diagonally at the same time. He watched for any sudden movement on the detective's part, just in case he suddenly developed an itchy-trigger finger.
Desmond then moved across the opened up entrance of the lobby as the afternoon light shone through, almost whiting out everything behind him. He could feel the heat from the sun above almost beating on his back, if it weren't for the shade from the roof that he stood under now as he moved further into the lobby. All the while keeping his gun trained on the Grasshopper-Techno Ninja.
“What's it gonna be?” asked Detective Yamato, inching the trigger back slowly, “Beast...”
Both of them waited in anticipation for the other to make hte first move.
~*~
~*~
Episode 04: “Deception of Clues.”
“I'm no Beast, pal,” stated Kenkage firmly as a matter of fact.
“Could of fooled me. Talking's a neat trick you got there. Just pick that up all by yourself?” Desmond shot back, never lowing his weapon. “Either way I'm taking you down... And once I cut you open, I'll be getting closer to what I want to know.”
“What??” questoned Kenkage, confused and not believing what he was hearing. “Like hell that's gonna happen!” He then rose his sword up a bit more, making his grip even tighter then before.
“Did I ever say there was a choice in the matter? You're coming with me!” with that Desmond pulled the trigger causing the gun to fire another round at the green Armored Grasshopper. Only to watch as the Insect Warrior deflected it with the blade in the nick of time. Surprised, the Japanese-American detective pulled the trigger again, then repeatedly; only this time there was nothing. “****, jam!” Desmond cursed and attempted to pull the slide back, hoping to dislodge the jam, but the slide remained stuck.
Kenkage jolted back a bit but then relaxed a little while keeping his blade trained on the frustrated Police detective. “Huh. Okay, how about this, you let me go and I can get you a free pizza, garlic sticks and barbeque wings...-Sound good?”
Detective Yamato gave him a quizzical look that questioned if he was being serious or just being a smart ass. Fully dislodging the round he heard the slide shut with a clink. Straightening out his arms again, he gave the Grasshopper-Techno-Ninja a serious no nonsense glare.
“No to free pizza huh...?” Kuro in the Kenkage suit and armor, nonchalantly, almost deadpanning, “Really??”
Desmond pulled the trigger again, but this time nothing except the echoing clank of the firing pin hitting metal was heard. The sound of an empty magazine echoing through out the nearly vacant, desolate and dark lobby. Quickly he looked down at the gun and attempted to reach for another clip, but when he examined the magazine he had left, it only had regular bullets. “****!” he cursed aloud and still loaded it as fast as he could while closing the gap between him and his target.
Taking this opportunity Kenkage leaped up to the balcony and made a dash to a nearby staircase to his left, hoping to lead to the roof. Then he would figure out his next step on how to get back tot he bike from there. At least he was thanking his lucky stars that he could jump so high in this amazing suit of technology. Finding out more about it would be a good idea, if the circumstances were more in his favor, Kuro thought to himself.
“Don't you move!” shouted Desmond as he fired a few rounds to the fleeing Armored Insect-Man, but only managing to put a few more holes in the chipped ceiling behind him. The furious Detective then scanned around for a staircase that lead him up after the fleeing target. Once he found it Desmond rushed up them like a bat out of hell; he wasn't going to let that thing get away that easily, not when he was so close to getting some answers—maybe all of them.
~*~
Finally making it to the roof from another large staircase which was the only thing left of the rooftop access, Kuro quickly scanned aout through the metallic-red compound lenses. He tried to piece the geography of where he was and where the bike was parked. From where Kuro stood it was rather difficult. Running his hands over top of his helmet he flung forward enraged and shouted, “Ah come on! Where are you you dang bike!?”
Suddenly the green-silver grasshopper bike with the blue stag-beetle front and back pieces till on, launched up from the ground, honking its horn and making mechanical noises.
Kenkage did a double-take, and then quickly pointed at it while proclaiming, “AH!!”
Just then he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and when he turned—was met in the face plate with a solid, copper slug that crunched up on impact. A sudden burst of sparks sprayed off into the air before falling to the ground, followed by another and another. Finally his chest was covered in sparks as random bullets impacted down his body. None of them hurt though—at least he didn't feel any of them. It was like being pelted by hard rain while being protected by a steel windshield and Kevlar. Kuro would of found it funny—possibly even fun if the circumstances were different.
“Hey!” shouted Kuro as he tried to speak over the constant volley of bullets, “Stop! Come on! Fu-!” He was immediately cut off on the last one though. Deciding to forgo any more talking, he then made a mad dash for the edge of the roof where he saw the bike jump up. “Here I go...!” he shouted as he leaped up into the air and arched himself forward, into a downward somersault.
Desmond gave chase, but when he arrived at the edge all he saw was the dirt trail kicking up, left behind by the Grasshopper, in Techno-Ninja armour, driving away as fast as he could. He was already too far for him to bother chasing after him in his car, but from where he was, even Desmond could tell his car wouldn't start. If the large cloud of smoke coming from the crunched up hood wasn't enough of an indication. Sighing heavily, the twenty-seven year old Detective just stood there, tired, angry and with a constant throbbing that showed no sign of letting up any time soon. Touching the cut on his head he then pulled it away, quickly, and looked to see the stain of blood on his palm. Luckily there wasn't much and that told him it was indeed close to stopping. Still, he then trekked his way back to the rear of his dark green, Honda Crossroad and opened the trunk. Retrieving the first aid kit, Desmond then grabbed and held a gauze patch to his forehead before slamming the trunk closed. Finally resting upon the back bumper, the Detective clicked the safety on the side of his glock holstering it.
Looking down the road from where he sat on the back of his car, Desmond saw three Zenmujiku City Police cruisers coming his way. Somehow he figured Captain Mitsuhara was in one of them, ready to suspend him or at the very least, give a loud lecture on his conduct. If he was honest with himself, he did kind of regret what he did there on the overpass. Then just as quickly he dismissed it and justified what he had done to himself as being for the mission, and that's all that mattered. Desmond didn't give two shits if Mitsuhara didn't like his reasoning. As long as he was okay with it that's what counted in his book.
As each cruiser came to a rolling stop around Desmond's car, he just sat there and glared at them individually.
~*~
B-Girl sauntered around a white tiled hallway, looking and even adjusting some of the pictures that hung along the opaque walls as she went. The only sources of light came from the small, round lights in the ceiling above her, with the largest natural light source emanating from a large window down the hall behind her. She came to staircase at the front end of the hall, then causally made her way up until she heard the sound of footsteps coming down from the stairs above her. She stopped and smiled at who met her halfway down.
“Fukujima Takuto-sama,” B-Girl said with a bow, “Have your endeavours been fruitful lately?”
Takuto, clad in a blue and white plaid, button-up shirt and dark, brown, kaki pants with blue and white skateboarding sneeakers, stopped a couple steps ahead of B-Girl. He eyed her carefully, then answered in a nonchalant tone, “Fairly.” Then he asked curiously, “Why the interest...?”
“No reason,” she replied in a joyful but mono-toned voice while grinning from ear-to-ear, tilting her head to one side. B-Girl then spun around and continued her way up the stairs on the other side of Takuto. Stopping a few steps passed him, she turned back and leaned against the railing, stretching both arms out along it. “How is the President, Fukujima-sama?”
“I have yet to see her today,” he replied casually, “Do you wish me to let her know you are looking for her?”
“No...,” B-Girl answered, still in a mono-tone, but joyful voice, then she gave the twenty-two year old a genuinely, wide smile that bordered on the creepy side.
Takuto honestly thought it was rather creepy but didn't question it any further then giving a couple raised eyebrows. After looking away from her, he continued on his way down while saying, “I'll be off.”
“Okay,” she said joyfully, then she did a large, wheel-like wave as she finished before continuing on her way up, “Bye-bye, Fukujima-sama!”
Hearing B-Girl's five-inch heeled boots click-and-clack up the stairs, Takuto took a look to see where she was. Once certain she had left, he continued on down the stairs. Already aware of her antics he did have to wonder what she was really going on about. There was a purpose although sadly, he for the life of him couldn't put his finger on what it could be. Takuto then made a mental note to keep an eye on his own back just in case it was to no good for him, and stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets as he went along down the hallway. He trusted her as far as he could have thrown her.
Eventually he came to a narrow, white door with a tiny, square window that had its blinds down and shut tightly. Turning the brass handle he entered a darkened room before shutting the door and locking the knob. Inside the dark room there was a large, ceder desk. A notebook laptop and a small, green-shaded, beam-shaped desk lamp were on it. Taking the stiff, grey computer chair out from behind the desk, Takuto slowly sat down and started up the laptop with a button press. At the very back, the only source of light sneaked through the tiny gaps in the shut, dark blue blinds, of a large, rectangular window.
Once it had powered up it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. He dragged the mouse icon over and double clicked on a vid-file. The window opened and he clicked play and watched the high-definition footage that was recorded from what looked like a camera in the corner. At least from the angle the footage was taken from it seemed like a camera. Leaning forward, Takuto gently rested against his hand and his relaxed fingers covered up his mouth while he watched the footage of a a Armoured Shadow Figure attacking the Wolf Melody Beast from the other day.
He stared as if studing it; the attacks, the technique and the ferocity of the Melody Beats as it tried to move in close. Once the Shadow Figure struck it down with its spear, Takuto smirked. Then hearing a whistle, the web net came down around the creature, he clicked pause and folded his fingers in front of his mouth, pressing the edge of them against it. Sitting back he studied the still image and just shook his head at it. “Too easy,” he muttered to himself.
Then suddenly there came an array of mechanical noises from behind him. Takuto didn't really react, but glanced back slightly, before returning back to the laptop screen. “I know. I know. But the only way to learn is through true experience,” said Takuto in an authoritative tone as he raised his right hand and pointed his index finger in the air.
More mechanical noises were strung along like a sentence.
Takuto just smirked, “Yes. Maybe. Just be patient.”
Another mechanical noise gave away it's obvious, disapproving reply, and Takuto just smirked again and shook his head.
“In time you will understand, little one.”
With that Takuto pushed his dark, small framed glasses back up, then clicked the next video feed. This time on the screen he monitored several people in white coats walking around a laboratory of sorts. Leaning back in his chair he crossed his arms and watched intently while the scientists handled chemicals, tech devices that resembled insects to a point, and even something that resembled the Disc Driver. Just without the chrome-silver casing though.
Takuto murmured to himself, “Hmmm...”
~*~
Kuro still in the armour, pulled up into the alleyway beside the Dance-Dance Pizzeria while the sun began to set in the distance. It gave everything an orange tint around him, even through the metallic-red, compound lens of his helmet. Kuro checked the alleyway from end to end and found no sign of Shizuka anywhere. Figuing she was inside he disengaged the bike's engine with a press of a button, then casually dismounted. Once off it transformed and shrunk into that smaller, compact robotic grasshopper before bouncing off somewhere. Trying to watch where it went, Kuro quickly lost track and gave up on it.
Then gripping the right side of the chrome-silver, Disc Driver buckle, he pulled it open and it said, “Driver Open!” Then he proceeded to take out the Rider disc itself. Shortly afterwards the flat, shiny green and silver armour unclamped and detached from the black, leathery body suit. On hinges it folded and flipped back into a large disc before rotating as it shrunk in mid-air and quickly zoomed backward all at once before finally dissolving onto the micro disc in Kuro's palm. At the same time the black body suit retracted from Kuro's neck and feet into the silver lined, black belt strap with a light-blue glow emanating from the outer edges. Soon after the belt strap itself unlocked from the right and whizzed back into the other side of the Driver, before it too glowed then vanished as if absorbing into Kuro's waist. It was the second time he witnessed that and found himself awfully curious, but also terrified to find out where that thing went.
Now in normal attire that compressed of a black, nylon jacket with dual red stripes down his arms, a grey t-shirt and black sneakers, slid the disc into the back pocket of his blue jeans. When he looked to the back exit the door was closed, when he left it had been open but instead of dwelling on it, Kuro figured Igawa may have closed it some time ago. Taking another quick look around he wandered around to the front and attempted to pull the front door open--it wouldn't budge. Kuro looked over to the large, broken window, now with boards on the inside over the hole to find a black and white “Closed” sign taped just above it to the side.
That was great to know, Kuro sarcastically thought to himelf, but then he should have figured as much. Igawa had been through a Melody Beast attack and with no safe zone, staying open after that did not seem like the best idea. At least for a little while, and he did give Kuro the rest of hte day off.
Tomorrow though... tomorrow was another set of problems to contend with altogether. Explaining how the bike got wrecked, why he was gone so long... and Shizuka. Oh crap! Kuro remembered the events of them arguing, then B-Girl showing up and making the situation worse. Then he stopped and wondered why she was so upset over nothing. Until he remembered how B-Girl acted with him... Where her hands caressed and lingered... the sound of her voice. Kuro had to adjust his jeans for a second and then snapped back to reality while shaking off that stupid grin off his face. Continuing to search for the best route from where he was to her place, he was sure it was still in his phone though Quickly padding all of his pockets he then realized it wasn't on him.
“Great...,” he sighed under his breath, while his head hung down in admonishment, “Dang-stupid, good for nothing...”
The twenty-five old ran his hand though his messy, brown hair and kicked a piece of trash on the ground, before travelling down the sidewalk in the other direction. Head down and hands in his jeans' pockets, Kuro headed towards the setting sun. Thinking he'd just go back home for now, hoping if he was lucky, he'd run into Shizuka at some point tomorrow. If he was lucky, he thought to self again.
~*~
As day became night, Desmond found himself in the cold, dim confines of a concrete cell, with only the company of three, black metal barred walls for comfort. He rested on the front bars, dangling both his arms lo as if waiting to be taken away, hanging his head between his biceps. Partially glad they stitched up the cut on his head, did little for his headache. At least now it was a mild throbbing rather than a constant hammering.
What a predicament the twenty-seven year Detective found himself in. After the long rant he received from the Captain, all Desmond figured he'd get was leave without pay for a couple of weeks. Instead after yelling at him for leaving the scene of an accident that was no less caused by him, Captain Mitsuhara had him thrown in a cell.
When checking out to see who else was in there, at least to talk with, he had found there was no one but him. The Detective found solitary confinement to be just fine though. The thought of being alone with his thoughts never troubled the man, silence had allowed him to concentrate on what he wanted to think about. Usually it was on his next step in the search for more clues on the Melody Beasts. Unfortunately, being stuck in here did prevent that and his leads were drying up pretty fast at this rate.
Frustrated, Desmond stood up in a huff and booted the solid, black bars in front of him as he used it to bounce off and spin around on his heel. Then he walked over to the stiff, metal spring-boxed cot that was bolted onto the concrete wall. It also had the only window in the cell on the far, upper, right hand corner, covered in white, mosaic glass with three bars horizontally and vertically. The pale moonlight shining through giving the glass and a spot on the floor a faint, pale blue glow.
Leaning back with his hands behind his head, Desmond pressed up against the cold, hard concrete wall, ignoring a cob-web his had lightly grazed against. Insects were also something that did not bother him in the least. He'd swat it as easily as he breathed, to the young Detective it was more of a reflex and one that came quite naturally to him. Just like when he pulled the trigger on that Grasshopper when he got a clear shot on it. Heck, Desmond knew if given the chance he'd do it again, that lead was too invaluable to him as it was to let slip away again. Innocents be damned, he would get that lead no matter what. If it saved a million... Sacrificing one or a thousand would little to no burden left on his conscience.
Slowly and perhaps even with a little reluctance, Desmond closed his eyes. Though admittedly he did feel the affects of little sleep over the past two days weighing heavily upon them now. Earlier he had adrenaline to keep him going and now... just a little sleep wouldn't hurt. At least he hoped it wouldn't, he cared not for anymore nightmares. The Detective then decided to just shut and rest his eyes for a moment; long enough to rid himself from this sleeping spell that was coming over him all of the sudden.
~*~
In the security office sat two, lone, low ranking officers watching the display of three monitors, each one with a quad-video block feeding them the footage the cell blocks. A mid-thirties man with short, dark hair, almost like a comb-over sat on the left, while on the right, another man sat. This one a tad younger but with well kept, dark hair and bangs that hung out a bit further. Both of them clad in the standard Japanese Police Uniforms of the Zenmujiku city branch.
As the thirty year old stretches, placing his hand behind his back, cracking his fingers along the way, his chair squeaked aloud. Demonstrating how old and warn out it was and reflecting how he felt. The twenty-eight year old officer played a game of solitaire on the large, green counter top desk in front of them both.
Neither of them wanted to be there. They both had their vices they wanted to attend instead, but alas they were forced into guard duty. Heck the thought they were being punished had crossed their minds more then once. Still the two guards sat there lazily as they rarely bothered to check in on the monitors to see if Desmond was there or even okay for that matter. Then over near the left at the back of the small, cramped, rectangular room a door opened. In walked another officer in the same, dark blue uniform as they wore. This one was older though, with glasses and greying, slicked back hair. Very distinguished and a lifer from the looks of him.
In his hands he carried a cardboard tray with two white, Styrofoam cups, brimming steam from a pinhole in the top covers. “Coffee,” he said as he came up and placed the cups one at a time in front of the younger officers. They didn't really react much to his presence though, rather they just gave a smile and wave as they acknowledged him.
“Hey, coffee,” said the twenty-eight year old officer, picking up a cup and sipping it cautiously.
“Good, could use some. Thanks,” said the officer in his thirties, then took a sip out of his cup. The older gentleman watched as they drank heartily, not really minding the heat of the drinks. They were obviously used to it from how it seemed, just like most people in Japan were capable to eating and drinking hot things without much difficulty.
After a few more gulps they suddenly began to feel woozy, verging on sleepy and then the older one of the two knoked out first. The younger officer followed. Still awake and standing behind them the oldest of them smiled at the toppled over bodies for a moment, before looking over to the monitor and then holding up his left wrist. On his wrist was a black, strapped watch with silver trimming all over it.
“Proceed,” he spoke in a elderly, gruff voice into the watch on the underside of his wrist.
A second or two later the screens flickered and the camera focusing on the entrance tracked along from the door to Desmond's cell. There it stayed focusing in on the unaware Detective himself....
~*~
Desmond's eyes opened a little, but then abruptly he opened them fully as he heard the clank and squeal of the door's metal latch being released. Looking over towards the main entrance he saw a petite girl in a white latex, low-cut mini-dress, with a teal ponytail that sported twin, rings of hair in the back. Coming up to the main gate prior to entering the cell blocks, she gently pressed up against it, running her royal-blue, mid-arm length gloves over it seductively, while glancing back and forth through the tiny gaps in the caged gate.
Standing away from the gate, there came a loud buzz and shortly after that the gate itself slid across and allowed her access into the jail. Then the clicking and clacking of five-inch heels from a pair of thigh-high, royal-blue boots, got louder the closer she got to Desmond's cell.
Following her with just his eyes, Detective Yamato waited patiently to see what she was up to, or where she was heading. His logical conclusion was himself, but then again, she could be going to her own cell for that matter; but quickly dismissed the thought when no other officers came in after her. She wasn't cuffed either. Even he had been cuffed when they tossed him in here, and given the royal treatment of a a padding for his weapons and badge. Desmond doubted she was given such a warm welcome, though part of him probably wouldn't have minded doing that himself, under different circumstances.
Coming up to his cell, B-Girl ran her fingers lightly across the black bars while eyeing the resting Detective on the other side of the cell. As she did this, B-Girl had a wide smile upon her lips and stopping midway she gave a wave and in a joyful tone said, “Hiii...!!”
Desmond just stared for a moment, then after a bit and clearing his throat quietly he said, “I would ask if I could help you, but I am hardly in the position to do so. And normally I would be asking if you were lost. But I doubt very much that you are. Am I correct, or do I continue?”
“Oh....” she said, cocking her head to the left gently, but never taking her gaze off of him. “You're not very nice, are you? ...Des...mond....san...”
“Neat trick,” replied the twenty-seven year old Detective curiously while slowly sitting up and hunching over a bit, putting his hands upon his beige pants covered knees. There he eyed her carefully, then relaxed while taking a slow, deep, breath before glancing to the concrete under his shoes. Looking up to his gorgeous visitor, Desmond stared her right in the eyes. Hoping to see if he could discern her intentions through any kind of tell that could be picked up on. Sadly nothing seemed to stand out to him.
“What trick?” she asked innocently, then coyly shied away as she leaned her shoulder against the bars and clasped both hands together, casually, while waiting for the captive Detective's reply.
“My name,” he answered bluntly, “Using it in hopes to get a reaction out of me. From the get up you're that B-Girl I've been hearing about, and see in the sky on those... floating monitors. You're the spokeswoman for the Musicular Organization. Common knowledge you plaster in the public eye is quite easy to pick up. Maybe no one else gives such things a second though, but in my line of work. It's a necessity to look at what may seem normal and question the meaning behind it. To look in between the lines if that's too difficult to understand,” he explained in almost mocking manner with a small smirk, then continued, “And from what I can tell... there is something off about you. But I can't say you make a significant attempt to hide that fact.”
B-Girl's expression didn't change as she stared him down, at least not until she glanced away and then her expression switched to a serious one, but still with a little, devious smirk and sparkle in her eyes.
“So finding out about me shouldn't be that difficult. My name is no secret, and it's not one I try to keep as such either,” continued Desmond in a nonchalant manner, resting back comfortably against the wall again with his hands held behind his head. “So let's cut to it shall we? What do you want?”
Glaring at him through her smile as she lowered her head unhurriedly, B-Girl then gripped a hold one of the bars closest to her. Tightening her royal-blue, gloved hand around it, causing the latex to make a squeezing noise, she then pulled the barred door aside easily. Sparks quickly burst away from the lock as its mechanism became damaged in that instant, and was ripped off entirely.
Startled, Desmond sat up, but gradually lowering his arms just in case he had to act fast. Watching the petite, though incredibly strong spokeswoman, saunter leisurely into the cell, her heels clicking one at a time as she brought one foot in front of the other while moving closer towards the Detecive.
Detective Yamato's brow furrowed, watching her reach the edge of the bed where she stopped suddenly.
She eyed him carefully and smiled before leaning down, bending her body in half with hands held behind her back. Looking him right in the eye up close and personal, caught the twenty-seven year old off guard.
Before he was able to do anything, B-Girl then grabbed him by the right side of his jacket's collar.
Desmond then felt himself go flying from one, single, hard yank. Crashing into the three bars in the front of the cell that remained on the left hand side, he then slid to the concrete floor with a thud. A painful gasp escaped him, and he cringed and groaned trying his best to get himself up to his hands and knees. Until suddenly he felt the hard-tipped point of a B-Girl's latex-rubber boot, jab him in the stomach and the side of his ribs. Feeling the air being knocked out of him, he dropped like an old sack of potatoes against the cold, solid concrete. Breathing heavily he felt a bit of the sand on the floor flow into his nostrils, causing him to hack up a bit of a cough. Forgoing a sneeze, he felt another boot to his smash into stomach. Then Desmond smashed into the bars and floor again, this time he swore he hit both of them harder then the last time.
As he rolled back and forth on the cold concrete slowly, body aching all over and even his headache returning; Desmond tilted on his side and looked up at the cute, petite thing standing over him. Eyeing her with contempt, the aching, young Detective clenched his hands into fists. “You're not human...,” he stated as a matter of fact, spitting out a bit of blood shortly afterwards.
Holding up a finger B-Girl smiled and replied cutely, “Ping-Pong! I'm a woman.” Then lowering to a crouch with her legs closed together, she leaned in and gently played with the beaten man's, dark, shaggy bangs. Then suddenly she gripped his neck tightly and pulled him up off the floor just to bring him closer to her as she continued, “If you ever... ever... hurt my Kenkage again.” Pulling him closer, she shook her head while making a cute, angry face and finished, “Oooooh.... it won't be pleasant, no sir-y!”
Suddenly letting go of Desmond's neck, allowed him to drop fast.
His body and face slapped loudly against the floor, causing him to grit and groan lowly as a dull pain shot through him. Barely keeping his eyes open he was somehow able to watch the petite spokeswoman spin on her heel and saunter over towards the window with both hands behind her back. For a few moments he watched her looking out the pale, blue lit window before trying his luck to help himself off the floor, gripping shakily onto the bars next to him. Staggeringly he made it to one knee and looked back to see B-Girl still staring out the window.
It was then he felt a trickle run down his forehead again, then came a drop of red in front of his eye. He followed it and watched as it fell into a tiny splash at his feet. Desmond found himself bleeding again, and checking his stitches quickly with his finger tips, they were indeed torn. “****...,” he cursed under his breath, spitting out a little more blood after it built up in his mouth again. He wiped the bit off his lip on the right sleeve of his jacket, at least it was red so it wouldn't show all that much.
“I don't know anyone with a name like that!” he exclaimed in a mix of pain and anger, then glaring right at her he added, “And you are going to be under arrest for assaulting an officer of the law. Mark my words... *****...”
“I think not,” she said calmly, gingerly swaying back and forth on a heel before finally swinging back in his direction. “You see and do much but retain very little, Desmond-san... But really... what would Yuki think of what you have done?”
Desmond's eyes went wide with shock, before turning back to complete rage as he forced himself to his feet. Staggering towards her as fast as he could , the Detective prepared to throw a punch at the seemingly defenceless woman. Only to watch as she caught his fist with one hand. He felt her grip squeeze tightly around his hand, hearing a subtle, low crunch; and then the sharp, agonizing pain that shot up through. A second later he was forced to his knees.
She leaned down close to his right ear, “We're out of time I'm afraid, Desmon-san. Too bad, hmm.”
With that B-Girl in one swift movement, flipped Desmond over onto his back and then sauntered on out of the cell, slamming it shut behind her. “We'll talk again,” was all she said heading for the exit.
When Desmond looked she was gone, the gate slowly closing up along with the main door that lead out of the jail block. Again he was alone, now on the cold, concrete floor on his back in pain that wouldn't quit shooting throughout his body. He shook his head. There was no way he wanted to, or even could believe he just got his butt handed to him by that little thing. Not for a second did Desmond think she was human after that, let alone the fact she confirmed she wasn't, at least he thought she did. Though the question that flooded his mind and completely consumed this thoughts was... how dare she bring her up?
“Yuki....,” muttered Desmond to no one in particular.
~*~
As night turned to day over Zenmujiku city, the sky appeared to be filled with dark, murky rain clouds that loomed overhead. That turned what some probably hoped would be a nice day, to a rather depressing one. In fact it was only a matter of time before the plumped up clouds, unleashed all the water they had accumulated through the night. Still down below people went about their day. Some just prepared for it better then others as they dressed appropriately, or carried an umbrella.
Unbeknownst to the people below as they went about their usual routines, atop of one of the large skyscrapers that towered over the city center, stood a six-foot tall army-green, bi-pedal Locust with its arms crossed. It wore tattered, blood-red and orange clothes like briefs, also wrapped around its wrists and ankles. A similar scarf flourished in the cool, gusting wind around the creature. Although a Locust, it had small, human-like, beady lime coloured, squinted eyes that seemed to search very rapidly through the large groups below. Then suddenly the Melody Beast focused upon a smaller group that seemed to break off, and headed towards a small cafe on the side of the street.
Slowly the Locust Melody Beast ran a couple fingers down from the tip of its antennas before crossing the right arm in front of its chest again. There, the Creature tilted its clenched fist to reveal the palm and fingers scrunched together. Slowly it extended its thumb, giving the “thumbs down” gesture. With a nod the Locust leaped off of roof's antenna tower where it was standing, and back-flipped forward through the air, falling all the way down towards the city streets.
~*~
Minding their own business, the four people who broke away began to sit down at a small table for four, at a cafe on the side of the street. Then all of the sudden came the soothing, creepy Melody. As it filled their ears, each one had a look of terror in their eyes, which became wider and dilated the louder the music got. Panic set in fast as they all began to push away from the table, looking around for any sign of the Monster about to attack, and hopefully a nearby safe zone to run towards for safety.
Out of the blue came a humanoid foot, with insect-like plates all over it and semi-long, pointed nails; quickly striking each one of four pedestrians across the face! With each connection the foot made, came a loud crack and snap! When it was over they just stood there, heads back in pace and looking straight ahead. Their eyes still full of fear but now empty, as if void of any life that was once there. Now there was no light left in them to speak up and that's when one by one they fell to the ground, pale and lifeless. While there, standing on the table with its arms crossed looking all proud and triumphant, almost full of itself—the Locust Melody Beast.
As people bore witness to swift, precise and brutal act that just occurred before them, all frozen there in shock. They were unable to take their eyes off of the dead bodies, until they all hesitantly and maybe even unwillingly, gazed up to see the bravado filled Locust, snickering at them. Shortly afterwards a woman bystander screamed, then everyone went running away panicking and screaming.
Watching the people scamper away, running like chickens with their heads cut off, the army-green Locust merely made a quick, unimpressed clicking noise. Then with a short glance around for the next victim, it leaped into the air.
~*~
After waking up to the murky looking sky, Kuro slowly drug himself out of bed in only his boxers. Shuffling off to the bathroom he scratched through his smooshed up, dark brown bed hair. Once in he did his normal routine, jumped into the shower and brushed his teeth, then spat out the mouth wash he used to rinse. As he leaned over the sink he stared into the mirror and pulled down the lower, baggy lids of his eyes, he believed he looked terrible. It too forever to get to sleep the night before, thinking of that fight with the Wolf and that Lizard the day before that. Kuro just honestly hoped for a normal, no fighting at all kind of day. Although if he ran into Shizuka that would change... but at least he wouldn't have to do it with fists.
He stared down into the water pooling in the sink before him, the tap still running but the sound becoming distant as Kuro became consumed in his thoughts. Quickly splashing his face he turned off the tap, unplugged the sink and then watched as remaining water swirled down into the drain. Taking a deep breath he stayed there for a moment then pushed off the sink. Heading out of the bathroom he went to get dressed.
~*~
Exiting his apartment, dressed in dark green t, with an army-green, plaid, long-sleeve shirt opened over it and a pair of slightly baggy, kaki pants, Kuro made his way to the stairs and hurried down towards the side alley. He stared at the ground as he went along with his hands in his pockets, not really paying attention to much of anything. Until a pair of blue and white sneakers came into his field of vision and he stopped abruptly. Lifting his head he followed up a pair of nicely shape, smooth feminine legs that were covering in tight-fitting, low-rise jeans. He continued up seeing a black shirt, with random English words in a graffiti on the front, and the long sleeves rolled up up her arms. Finally Kuro's eyes met Shizuka's beautiful gaze. Also he noticed she had a little more make up on today which really grabbed his attention. Honestly he wondered if his heart had just skipped a beat a few seconds ago.
“Hi,” she said, a little uncertainly.
“Hi,” replied Kuro, curiously.
Both of them found themselves at a loss for words, unsure of how or where to begin. Though they knew they wanted to talk with one another. Kuro was somewhat curious to how she found his place though, unless she was going to see someone else. There were others living in the apartment complex, not just him so that was indeed a possibility.
Rubbing the back of his neck he took a step forward, “So... how'd you find me?”
Shizuka took a moment as she looked away and tried to find the best way to answer, then figured truthfully was probably the best way to go about it. If they were going to have this conversation now, it would be good to start off on the right foot. At least this time it would be a little better then how they first met. “My friend lives around here. Apartment forty-nine.”
“Ah,” replied Kuro, nodding. He thought about what to say next and then continued, “So... about yesterday.”
“Yeah...,” Shiuzka said while exhaling slowly, sticking her thumbs into her front jean pockets, “Yesterday was quite a day.”
“You could say that,” replied Kuro looking down to the ground, then unhurriedly gazed back into her eyes, taking quick glances at her rosy lips every so often. “There's nothing between B-Girl and I okay? She's the one doing all the... moves, or whatever.”
“Like you're not enjoying it?” she questioned accusingly, and crossing her arms in front of her.
“Hey now, come on. You can't hate me for enjoying some attention. Though she picks the worst, or at least the weirdest times to come onto me,” Kuro replied tiredly. Then to try and lighten the mood he added while gesturing up and down himself and subtly smiling, “Can't help she just wants some of this.”
“No accounting for taste,” said Shizuka bluntly while hiding a bit of a smirk as she shied away.
“Hey!” whined Kuro, holding out his arms in protest.
Sauntering away casually, Shizuka chuckled quietly to herself with a big smile across her face, keeping her back to Kuro allowed her to hide it well. Part of her was enjoying still causing him some grief over the matter, though there wasn't much to go on but his word that he wasn't two-timing. Though the look she saw in his eyes when he looked at her certainly made her want to believe he wouldn't. But she did want to know if his heart skipped like hers did. It took nearly everything she had not to come right out and ask him how he felt, she would rather him do it all on his own. Maybe take a hint and ask her out.
“Shizuka-san,” spoke Kuro.
It was enough to take the young woman come out of her thoughts, and she turned back to look at him as he wondered up towards her. “Yes?” she asked, brushing strands of her long, auburn hair out of her face.
“Do you...,” he began then suddenly something caught his attention and he looked up passed Shizuka's head. “Watch out!” Kuro shouted, running up and grabbing her, pulling the young woman closer to him as he used himself to shield her from incoming attack of the Locust Melody Beast!
Just as it was about to land its sharp toed, plated foot right into Kuro's back—the small, green-silver and black, robotic grasshopper smacked the creature away. The Melody Beast was sent flying but quickly recovered and kicked off the wall and landed a few feet from the two of them in a crouch. Slowly rising up it glared a the robotic grasshopper and then to Kuro, who held Shizuka behind him. Bringing its arm up across its plated, clothed chest, the Locut gave the 'thumbs down' gesture, and brought it down with a hard shake.
“You have got to be kidding me... -Again? --Really??” Kuro questioned aloud and to no one particular. Then to Shizuka as he pushed her back, “Go. Get back!” Turning around to face the Monster, Kuro quickly dug into his back pocket and brought out the green, circuitry-etched, Rider Disc. Holding it in front of his chest at an angle, the Driver began to form with a silver light around it on the front of his stomach. Once solidified the belt strap came out of the left side, shooting around behind him and connecting to the right of the buckle with click, with the light dissolving away shortly afterwards. With a furrowed brow, Kuro glared at the cocky Beast as it waltzed towards them both.
“I dunno why you want to kill us... but like hell I'll let that happen! Not now! Not ever!” Kuro proclaimed loud and clear, then pulled open the buckle.
“Driver Open!” exclaimed the buckle in its odd, video-game announcer voice.
Kuro locked the disc in on the golden, flat end knob in the center before shutting it; and a green laser bar scanned up and down it in a blink of an eye, before finally saying,"Hopper!"
Quickly outstretching his left arm across his chest at an upward angle, and at the same time, bringing his right forearm over top of the driver. Both hands open with the right down flat, ready to tap the button and the others' palm facing outward, he yelled, “HENSHIN!!” He tapped the top, grey, bar-shaped button then brought both arms to his sides, bent at the elbows, hands clenched tight into fists.
During that moment the disc in the middle of the buckle spun rapidly, shooting rays of green light every so often. Kuro watched as the Locust Beast leaped up into the air and then came down towards him with an elbow strike. In the nick of time he blocked it with both arms, driving a front kick into its gut, knocking it backwards a few steps. Then, Kuro, looking determined, stepped forward and landed a downward angled left hook, a right and then side-kicked the fiend in the stomach. He watched it wail back a bit only to attempt another strike, this time with its sharp nails of its right hand! Then suddenly out came the larger disc—striking the Melody Beast dead on, sending it flying through the air down the alleyway. Green laser beams followed and cut out the armor plate patterns in the blink of an eye, while the disc spun there in mid-air and came towards Kuro. As it was doing this the plates flipped out on joints and at the same time the black, leather body suit formed with the light-blue glow on the outer edges. As the armor attached all over, the buckle said in a sing-song voice: "Edge of the Ninja...!"
Once transformed, Kuro noticed this time the sword as on his back, sheathed in the same material as the body suit. “Whoa...,” Kuro breathed through the green and silver grasshopper, techno-ninja helmet. He felt a little amazed that it was there, though he didn't have a problem with it. Certainly made it easier for him to get now in a fight. Then the agitated clicking from the Locust brought him back to reality, and Kenkage now took a fighting stance with both hands up in front of him. “Alright..”
Shizuka watched as Kuro in the Grasshopper, Techno-Ninja Armour and the Locust Melody Beast, charged towards each other head on. Hiding behind a nearby metal, staircase while witnessing their battle unfold with her own eyes, she kept on asking herself how does anyone get used to something like this? Though there was no certainty that she would ever find any sense of normality in life, not with Beasts or... this.
Kenkage and Locust repeatedly traded blows back and forth as they danced around each other, sparks flying every so often off of the Grasshopper's armour. Landing a few blows, the Grasshopper-Ninja Rider then threw a round-house kick. The Creature ducked and spun out of the way, only to take an elbow right in the face. Even though slightly stunned, the Locust quickly shook it off and continued against its haphazardly fighting opponent. As Kenkage attempted to land a right cross the Melody Beast dodged again, but this time landed a swipe from its sharp toenails, returning a round-house kick of its own. Cutting across Kenkage's chest, sparks sprayed everywhere!He was sent falling back against the wall as he exclaimed in pain, then slid down onto his butt.
Not really stunned though, Kuro then glanced up to see the Locust Monster bounce up and down gesturing its hands like Bruce Lee. The Creature even mimicked the nose swipe with its thumb. Until out of the blue, the Grasshopper motorcycle sped in front of the Locust, slashing it across the chest and sending it tumbling away, with sparks flying through the air. The bike skidded and screeched to a stop a little further down the alley, turning to face the exit before finally stopping.
The Locust swiftly recovered again and glared at the bike, only to quickly cock its head in Kenkage's direction as he got to his feet; pulling out the green, black and silver gripped, sword on his back. Startled the Monster jumped slightly, then charged for the Armoured Grasshopper Ninja, reading to strike once again.
Kenkage readied his sword at the same time moving a little antsy. Then he too charged in and swung the sword as best as he could. Though he wasn't a real swordsman, Kenkage manged to swipe well enough to put the Locust on the defensive. Suddenly he stabbed forward with both hands gripped tightly on the handle, and manged to land the strike! A burst of sparks erupted from the impact, knocking the Locust onto the ground again. Quickly bringing the sword up to the side, tip pointed right at his enemy and the edge aied towards the sky; Kenkage waited for the monster to make its move.
It was then that the Creature spun away and leaped into the air, leaving the field of battle far behind in its dust trail.
Just then the motorcycle charged forward behind Kuro while he tracked the monster through the metallic-red, compound bug eyes. “Trying to run?!” he shouted and then brought both arms out to the sides before jumping with both feet together. Flipping back in mid-air he landed, almost expertly onto the black, leather seat of his bike. Grabbing a hold of the handles after sheathing his sword, Kenkage revved up the throttle and dashed out into the street; racing after the fleeing Melody Beast.
Left behind, Shizuka carefully stepped out from where she was hiding and stared down the alleyway until Kuro disappeared from her sights. Still scared and trembling a little, Shizuka then wondered what she was going to do now. Just then the clouds over head started to become darker as they moved closer, and the looming sound of thunder cracked loudly in the sky above her head. Then she looked up towards the front balcony that came around to the side, leading to another downward staircase. But what came around the corner startled Shizuka out of her wits.
Coming towards her from around that corner from the front of the building, was a towering, yellow-fur and skinned with black spots, bi-pedal Cheetah. Clad in a brass coloured chest plate, that was curved at the bottom, and had four round orbs in a semi-circle pattern. Blue loin clothes dangled in the front and back as twin, scarf link flaps hung from the back of its shoulders.
Then the darkened clouds began to unload its accumulated rain and it poured hard. Soaking both Shizuka and the monster quickly. Frightened out of her mind, Shizuka cautiously walked backwards, running her hand long the side of stone wall, hoping to find something to grab or hide behind.
Just as the Cheetah Melody Beast took a step towards her, a red and silver, cylindrical spike, that was slightly narrower at the front—stabbed into the stone wall in front of the creature. The Melody Beast halted in its tracks as it starred at small weapon, following metal, beaded line right behind it. With a kind of low-buzzing sound that seemed to get a little more high-pitched, the wire retracted, or rather pulled a small, purple and silver coloured, robotic scorpion onto the wall. It pulled out the spike and locked it back onto the tip of the tail before walking around to face the Cheetah Monster. Pinching the air with its twin, purple-painted, metal, clamp-like claws in a threatening manner; the Scorpion gave a few echo, metallic noises.
Raising a black, clawed hand, the Cheetah was about to strike it off the wall, but from the corner of its small, human-shaped, moon-yellow eyes it saw something. Looking up fro the robot-scorpion, the Cheetah saw across from the backyard of the apartment complex, on top of the adjacent building—a tall, male shaped being in a black, leathery body suit. Though this one had grey armour with black and silver accents; in the design of a Spider crossed with a Techno-Samurai and holding a spear in one hand, with the non-bladed end planted on the rooftop. Two smokey-white, compound eyes stared back into the beady, moon-yellow ones of the Cheetah.
Quickly the Spider-Samurai twirled the spear back and forth in front of him before aiming the tip of the double-edged, six-inch, silver bladed spearhead at the Beast. Turning it on an angle, it made a noise as it cut the air.
The Melody Beast reluctantly began to walk backwards shortly after that, only giving the scorpion, Shizuka and then the Spider-Samurai a second glance before charging off around the front of the building.
Shizuka stood there confused, though she saw the robot scorpion, she was rather curious to what drove the thing off. Then as if feeling someone was watching her, she turned around and looked in the direction the creature had looked. There was nothing there though, at least nothing she could see. If there was something that had been there, it was no gone. Then looking back she found the robot scorpion was no gone too.
“Huh?”
~*~
Chasing the Melody Beast all through the city until finally reaching a place in the country side that had been abandoned for some time. Unkempt vegetation growing in from all sides over top of the desolate buildings that remained, though damaged and decaying. Kenkage followed it into an open area, covered in damp gravel, grassy areas and even a fountain in the center of it all, with a tree sprouting from it. Seeing the creature stop and preparing to turn to maybe attack him, Kenkage popped the bike into a wheelie and drove the front tire across its chest. Sparks fly from the impact point and send the monster spinning onto its side hard.
Rolling along the gravel until it finally stopped, the Locust staggered up to its hands and knees, and glared right at the Grasshopper Ninja on the motorbike.
Kenkage figured it was cursing him in its human-sized, antenna flailing head, but honestly wasn't caring about that. It could curse him all it wanted, he was still going to destroy it. Dismounting from the bike, Kuro unsheathed his sword and brandished it as he stopped a few feet from the bike. Though a couple feet from the monster, he waited for a moment to see what it was going to do. Locust stayed where it was and just glared. Kuro grew impatient and then charged forward, holding the sword with one hand and readying for a downward strike! As he was about to follow-through with it, Kenkage missed as the Locust rolled on its side away from him!
With a growl, clearing growing frustrated, Kenkage charged again and this time with both hands gripping the sword handle—he went for a overhead swing! He missed again but quickly went with an under slash and managed to cut across the Beasts chest, shooting sparks into the air.
The Locust landed on it's back with a thud, sending many pieces of gravel flying away from the impact. As it staggered up with its hands, the Melody Beast shook off the sting and swiped with another kick, this time knocking the next attack of the Rider's sword. It then spun up with another kick and slashed Kenkage's chest, sending him spiraling back with sparks of his own.
Kenkage quickly rolled to one knee and held up his sword, reading for the next assault. Though they stayed where they were for some time, watching and waiting for the other to make the next move yet again. Getting frustrated and annoyed with this waiting game, Kuro punched the gravel below and then jumped into the air, coming down with another overhead attack. Swiping he missed as the Creature evaded! Not wanting to get caught from behind, Kenkage swung blindly behind him with a spin, only to find the Monster was nowhere in sight. He scanned back and forth quickly but couldn't find the Beast anywhere at all.
Taking a few quick jogging steps forward, Kuro looked all around him and still there was no sign of the Locust. “Where the hell...?”
~*~
Up on top of one of the larger, white, concrete buildings that remained mostly intact, the Locust Melody Beast watched from a far. It crossed its arms and attacked unimpressed, with a hint of annoyance to it as well as it glared with its beady, lime coloured eyes. Doing the 'Bruce Lee nose wipe' with it's thumb it cocked its head to the right for a moment, then leaped off somewhere; leaving the Rider alone.
~*~
Kenkage continued to look around him, but no matter what he did he could not find his opponent. Finally giving up he stated to sheath the sword onto his back—then suddenly deep, yellow blur struck across his chest. Erupting in a huge, explosive burst of sparks, Kenkage spun around and stumbled back a few feet. He looked around him, in awe and taken aback at what just happened. Then the blur struck from behind him, causing another explosive burst of sparks! He spun around again but steadied himself with his sword, and just as he was about to ready it again, he suffered a double strike, back and forth across his chest again. This time losing his weapon entirely as it flung in the air. Watching it and preparing to grab it before it hit the ground—Kuro felt his whole body becoming assaulted by hard and fast slashes that moved like lightning!
One final cut crashed across his chest, this time closer to his neck and face, as it went up his body this time; and the explosive outburst of sparks that sprayed was much larger. Also it was much more powerful as it flung Kenkage into a back-flip and at the same time, yelled out in agonizing pain!
Taking a deep breath in, holding it, he then jumped into the air along with the Wolf. Quickly extending his right leg outward into a flying side-kick, Kuro watched as the creature tried to fall but it was too late. He connected with the kick and watched as the huge explosion sent the Wolf flying backwards, which Kuro managed to push off and flip back as well. Only that when Kuro landed in a kneeling crouch, the Melody Beast hit the rectangular, concrete pillar—breaking through it and continuing to somersault along the hard floor until finally slamming into the far off wall.
There the Wolf sat, blinking blankly until suddenly sparks began to pop and shower all over it's chest and face. Green energy bolts crackled all over its body until the Monster's head finally dropped lifelessly... and the whole Creature exploded into flames!
Slowly Kuro stood back up and watched the burning fires turn what was left of the Melody Beast into ashes. It was rather quick he thought, and at least this one wasn't going to bother anyonre again... but if there was another one, where did it go? Running over to his thrown sword which laid along the ground, he quickly picked it up and readied for another attack.
Unbeknownst to Kuro, B-Girl watched the fight unfold from behind another concrete pillar that hid her within the shadows. But she wasn't the only one who was hidden in those shadows. Up above watching the fight happen below stood the Armoured Figure, spear in hand like a walking stick and something beside him slowly moved, and gave off mechanical, echo-y sounds. The Figure raised a hand to silence it.
“Not yet,” whispered the Figure.
B-Girl was about to step out and greet her Champion until the sound of footsteps crunching gravel was heard from outside the building. Slipping back behind the pillar she watched again from a far along with the Shadowed Figure who wasn't aware of her presence either. He too though heard the foot steps of someone coming towards the building.
When Kuro heard someone approaching, he noticed there was some grunting and heavy breathing as if someone was struggling. Readying his sword he turned towards the open walled entranced of the lobby and waited...
Suddenly out came Desmond, tearing off the webbing from his shoulder finally. Gathering his surroundings he quickly scanned the area. When he came to see the Grasshopper Humanoid standing with his sword ready, he swiftly raised the glock in both hands.
Kenkage found himself staring down the barrel of the detective's gun, which he doubted would be the last time.
Desmond aimed down the iron sight of his glock, still breathing heavily from the struggle of getting out of that stuff, whatever it was. Honestly at this moment he didn't care, but what he did care about right now was that he had a lead. Right in front of his barrel was a Melody Beast waiting for him to take down. There was no way he was going to get any answers out of it alive, but dead... dead was a lot easier to deal with. Although there was something different about this one, it didn't look like the beasts that have been encountered so far, and in fact it kind of matched the description from that girl.
Kenkage eyed the roughed up detective right back from the razor sharp point on his blade. Shifting his feet, Kenkage's boots crunched up the gravel and sand underneath as he switched his position, tilting the sword diagonally at the same time. He watched for any sudden movement on the detective's part, just in case he suddenly developed an itchy-trigger finger.
Desmond then moved across the opened up entrance of the lobby as the afternoon light shone through, almost whiting out everything behind him. He could feel the heat from the sun above almost beating on his back, if it weren't for the shade from the roof that he stood under now as he moved further into the lobby. All the while keeping his gun trained on the Grasshopper-Techno Ninja.
“What's it gonna be?” asked Detective Yamato, inching the trigger back slowly, “Beast...”
Both of them waited in anticipation for the other to make hte first move.
~*~
Kamen Rider: KENKAGE
Written by:
Robert J. Wong
Opening:
“JUST ONE LIFE” -Spyair.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fza_WIbjTdI"]Samurai Flamenco/????????? Opening Full - Just One Life ?? - YouTube[/ame]
Written by:
Robert J. Wong
Opening:
“JUST ONE LIFE” -Spyair.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fza_WIbjTdI"]Samurai Flamenco/????????? Opening Full - Just One Life ?? - YouTube[/ame]
~*~
Episode 04: “Deception of Clues.”
“I'm no Beast, pal,” stated Kenkage firmly as a matter of fact.
“Could of fooled me. Talking's a neat trick you got there. Just pick that up all by yourself?” Desmond shot back, never lowing his weapon. “Either way I'm taking you down... And once I cut you open, I'll be getting closer to what I want to know.”
“What??” questoned Kenkage, confused and not believing what he was hearing. “Like hell that's gonna happen!” He then rose his sword up a bit more, making his grip even tighter then before.
“Did I ever say there was a choice in the matter? You're coming with me!” with that Desmond pulled the trigger causing the gun to fire another round at the green Armored Grasshopper. Only to watch as the Insect Warrior deflected it with the blade in the nick of time. Surprised, the Japanese-American detective pulled the trigger again, then repeatedly; only this time there was nothing. “****, jam!” Desmond cursed and attempted to pull the slide back, hoping to dislodge the jam, but the slide remained stuck.
Kenkage jolted back a bit but then relaxed a little while keeping his blade trained on the frustrated Police detective. “Huh. Okay, how about this, you let me go and I can get you a free pizza, garlic sticks and barbeque wings...-Sound good?”
Detective Yamato gave him a quizzical look that questioned if he was being serious or just being a smart ass. Fully dislodging the round he heard the slide shut with a clink. Straightening out his arms again, he gave the Grasshopper-Techno-Ninja a serious no nonsense glare.
“No to free pizza huh...?” Kuro in the Kenkage suit and armor, nonchalantly, almost deadpanning, “Really??”
Desmond pulled the trigger again, but this time nothing except the echoing clank of the firing pin hitting metal was heard. The sound of an empty magazine echoing through out the nearly vacant, desolate and dark lobby. Quickly he looked down at the gun and attempted to reach for another clip, but when he examined the magazine he had left, it only had regular bullets. “****!” he cursed aloud and still loaded it as fast as he could while closing the gap between him and his target.
Taking this opportunity Kenkage leaped up to the balcony and made a dash to a nearby staircase to his left, hoping to lead to the roof. Then he would figure out his next step on how to get back tot he bike from there. At least he was thanking his lucky stars that he could jump so high in this amazing suit of technology. Finding out more about it would be a good idea, if the circumstances were more in his favor, Kuro thought to himself.
“Don't you move!” shouted Desmond as he fired a few rounds to the fleeing Armored Insect-Man, but only managing to put a few more holes in the chipped ceiling behind him. The furious Detective then scanned around for a staircase that lead him up after the fleeing target. Once he found it Desmond rushed up them like a bat out of hell; he wasn't going to let that thing get away that easily, not when he was so close to getting some answers—maybe all of them.
~*~
Finally making it to the roof from another large staircase which was the only thing left of the rooftop access, Kuro quickly scanned aout through the metallic-red compound lenses. He tried to piece the geography of where he was and where the bike was parked. From where Kuro stood it was rather difficult. Running his hands over top of his helmet he flung forward enraged and shouted, “Ah come on! Where are you you dang bike!?”
Suddenly the green-silver grasshopper bike with the blue stag-beetle front and back pieces till on, launched up from the ground, honking its horn and making mechanical noises.
Kenkage did a double-take, and then quickly pointed at it while proclaiming, “AH!!”
Just then he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and when he turned—was met in the face plate with a solid, copper slug that crunched up on impact. A sudden burst of sparks sprayed off into the air before falling to the ground, followed by another and another. Finally his chest was covered in sparks as random bullets impacted down his body. None of them hurt though—at least he didn't feel any of them. It was like being pelted by hard rain while being protected by a steel windshield and Kevlar. Kuro would of found it funny—possibly even fun if the circumstances were different.
“Hey!” shouted Kuro as he tried to speak over the constant volley of bullets, “Stop! Come on! Fu-!” He was immediately cut off on the last one though. Deciding to forgo any more talking, he then made a mad dash for the edge of the roof where he saw the bike jump up. “Here I go...!” he shouted as he leaped up into the air and arched himself forward, into a downward somersault.
Desmond gave chase, but when he arrived at the edge all he saw was the dirt trail kicking up, left behind by the Grasshopper, in Techno-Ninja armour, driving away as fast as he could. He was already too far for him to bother chasing after him in his car, but from where he was, even Desmond could tell his car wouldn't start. If the large cloud of smoke coming from the crunched up hood wasn't enough of an indication. Sighing heavily, the twenty-seven year old Detective just stood there, tired, angry and with a constant throbbing that showed no sign of letting up any time soon. Touching the cut on his head he then pulled it away, quickly, and looked to see the stain of blood on his palm. Luckily there wasn't much and that told him it was indeed close to stopping. Still, he then trekked his way back to the rear of his dark green, Honda Crossroad and opened the trunk. Retrieving the first aid kit, Desmond then grabbed and held a gauze patch to his forehead before slamming the trunk closed. Finally resting upon the back bumper, the Detective clicked the safety on the side of his glock holstering it.
Looking down the road from where he sat on the back of his car, Desmond saw three Zenmujiku City Police cruisers coming his way. Somehow he figured Captain Mitsuhara was in one of them, ready to suspend him or at the very least, give a loud lecture on his conduct. If he was honest with himself, he did kind of regret what he did there on the overpass. Then just as quickly he dismissed it and justified what he had done to himself as being for the mission, and that's all that mattered. Desmond didn't give two shits if Mitsuhara didn't like his reasoning. As long as he was okay with it that's what counted in his book.
As each cruiser came to a rolling stop around Desmond's car, he just sat there and glared at them individually.
~*~
B-Girl sauntered around a white tiled hallway, looking and even adjusting some of the pictures that hung along the opaque walls as she went. The only sources of light came from the small, round lights in the ceiling above her, with the largest natural light source emanating from a large window down the hall behind her. She came to staircase at the front end of the hall, then causally made her way up until she heard the sound of footsteps coming down from the stairs above her. She stopped and smiled at who met her halfway down.
“Fukujima Takuto-sama,” B-Girl said with a bow, “Have your endeavours been fruitful lately?”
Takuto, clad in a blue and white plaid, button-up shirt and dark, brown, kaki pants with blue and white skateboarding sneeakers, stopped a couple steps ahead of B-Girl. He eyed her carefully, then answered in a nonchalant tone, “Fairly.” Then he asked curiously, “Why the interest...?”
“No reason,” she replied in a joyful but mono-toned voice while grinning from ear-to-ear, tilting her head to one side. B-Girl then spun around and continued her way up the stairs on the other side of Takuto. Stopping a few steps passed him, she turned back and leaned against the railing, stretching both arms out along it. “How is the President, Fukujima-sama?”
“I have yet to see her today,” he replied casually, “Do you wish me to let her know you are looking for her?”
“No...,” B-Girl answered, still in a mono-tone, but joyful voice, then she gave the twenty-two year old a genuinely, wide smile that bordered on the creepy side.
Takuto honestly thought it was rather creepy but didn't question it any further then giving a couple raised eyebrows. After looking away from her, he continued on his way down while saying, “I'll be off.”
“Okay,” she said joyfully, then she did a large, wheel-like wave as she finished before continuing on her way up, “Bye-bye, Fukujima-sama!”
Hearing B-Girl's five-inch heeled boots click-and-clack up the stairs, Takuto took a look to see where she was. Once certain she had left, he continued on down the stairs. Already aware of her antics he did have to wonder what she was really going on about. There was a purpose although sadly, he for the life of him couldn't put his finger on what it could be. Takuto then made a mental note to keep an eye on his own back just in case it was to no good for him, and stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets as he went along down the hallway. He trusted her as far as he could have thrown her.
Eventually he came to a narrow, white door with a tiny, square window that had its blinds down and shut tightly. Turning the brass handle he entered a darkened room before shutting the door and locking the knob. Inside the dark room there was a large, ceder desk. A notebook laptop and a small, green-shaded, beam-shaped desk lamp were on it. Taking the stiff, grey computer chair out from behind the desk, Takuto slowly sat down and started up the laptop with a button press. At the very back, the only source of light sneaked through the tiny gaps in the shut, dark blue blinds, of a large, rectangular window.
Once it had powered up it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. He dragged the mouse icon over and double clicked on a vid-file. The window opened and he clicked play and watched the high-definition footage that was recorded from what looked like a camera in the corner. At least from the angle the footage was taken from it seemed like a camera. Leaning forward, Takuto gently rested against his hand and his relaxed fingers covered up his mouth while he watched the footage of a a Armoured Shadow Figure attacking the Wolf Melody Beast from the other day.
He stared as if studing it; the attacks, the technique and the ferocity of the Melody Beats as it tried to move in close. Once the Shadow Figure struck it down with its spear, Takuto smirked. Then hearing a whistle, the web net came down around the creature, he clicked pause and folded his fingers in front of his mouth, pressing the edge of them against it. Sitting back he studied the still image and just shook his head at it. “Too easy,” he muttered to himself.
Then suddenly there came an array of mechanical noises from behind him. Takuto didn't really react, but glanced back slightly, before returning back to the laptop screen. “I know. I know. But the only way to learn is through true experience,” said Takuto in an authoritative tone as he raised his right hand and pointed his index finger in the air.
More mechanical noises were strung along like a sentence.
Takuto just smirked, “Yes. Maybe. Just be patient.”
Another mechanical noise gave away it's obvious, disapproving reply, and Takuto just smirked again and shook his head.
“In time you will understand, little one.”
With that Takuto pushed his dark, small framed glasses back up, then clicked the next video feed. This time on the screen he monitored several people in white coats walking around a laboratory of sorts. Leaning back in his chair he crossed his arms and watched intently while the scientists handled chemicals, tech devices that resembled insects to a point, and even something that resembled the Disc Driver. Just without the chrome-silver casing though.
Takuto murmured to himself, “Hmmm...”
~*~
Kuro still in the armour, pulled up into the alleyway beside the Dance-Dance Pizzeria while the sun began to set in the distance. It gave everything an orange tint around him, even through the metallic-red, compound lens of his helmet. Kuro checked the alleyway from end to end and found no sign of Shizuka anywhere. Figuing she was inside he disengaged the bike's engine with a press of a button, then casually dismounted. Once off it transformed and shrunk into that smaller, compact robotic grasshopper before bouncing off somewhere. Trying to watch where it went, Kuro quickly lost track and gave up on it.
Then gripping the right side of the chrome-silver, Disc Driver buckle, he pulled it open and it said, “Driver Open!” Then he proceeded to take out the Rider disc itself. Shortly afterwards the flat, shiny green and silver armour unclamped and detached from the black, leathery body suit. On hinges it folded and flipped back into a large disc before rotating as it shrunk in mid-air and quickly zoomed backward all at once before finally dissolving onto the micro disc in Kuro's palm. At the same time the black body suit retracted from Kuro's neck and feet into the silver lined, black belt strap with a light-blue glow emanating from the outer edges. Soon after the belt strap itself unlocked from the right and whizzed back into the other side of the Driver, before it too glowed then vanished as if absorbing into Kuro's waist. It was the second time he witnessed that and found himself awfully curious, but also terrified to find out where that thing went.
Now in normal attire that compressed of a black, nylon jacket with dual red stripes down his arms, a grey t-shirt and black sneakers, slid the disc into the back pocket of his blue jeans. When he looked to the back exit the door was closed, when he left it had been open but instead of dwelling on it, Kuro figured Igawa may have closed it some time ago. Taking another quick look around he wandered around to the front and attempted to pull the front door open--it wouldn't budge. Kuro looked over to the large, broken window, now with boards on the inside over the hole to find a black and white “Closed” sign taped just above it to the side.
That was great to know, Kuro sarcastically thought to himelf, but then he should have figured as much. Igawa had been through a Melody Beast attack and with no safe zone, staying open after that did not seem like the best idea. At least for a little while, and he did give Kuro the rest of hte day off.
Tomorrow though... tomorrow was another set of problems to contend with altogether. Explaining how the bike got wrecked, why he was gone so long... and Shizuka. Oh crap! Kuro remembered the events of them arguing, then B-Girl showing up and making the situation worse. Then he stopped and wondered why she was so upset over nothing. Until he remembered how B-Girl acted with him... Where her hands caressed and lingered... the sound of her voice. Kuro had to adjust his jeans for a second and then snapped back to reality while shaking off that stupid grin off his face. Continuing to search for the best route from where he was to her place, he was sure it was still in his phone though Quickly padding all of his pockets he then realized it wasn't on him.
“Great...,” he sighed under his breath, while his head hung down in admonishment, “Dang-stupid, good for nothing...”
The twenty-five old ran his hand though his messy, brown hair and kicked a piece of trash on the ground, before travelling down the sidewalk in the other direction. Head down and hands in his jeans' pockets, Kuro headed towards the setting sun. Thinking he'd just go back home for now, hoping if he was lucky, he'd run into Shizuka at some point tomorrow. If he was lucky, he thought to self again.
~*~
As day became night, Desmond found himself in the cold, dim confines of a concrete cell, with only the company of three, black metal barred walls for comfort. He rested on the front bars, dangling both his arms lo as if waiting to be taken away, hanging his head between his biceps. Partially glad they stitched up the cut on his head, did little for his headache. At least now it was a mild throbbing rather than a constant hammering.
What a predicament the twenty-seven year Detective found himself in. After the long rant he received from the Captain, all Desmond figured he'd get was leave without pay for a couple of weeks. Instead after yelling at him for leaving the scene of an accident that was no less caused by him, Captain Mitsuhara had him thrown in a cell.
When checking out to see who else was in there, at least to talk with, he had found there was no one but him. The Detective found solitary confinement to be just fine though. The thought of being alone with his thoughts never troubled the man, silence had allowed him to concentrate on what he wanted to think about. Usually it was on his next step in the search for more clues on the Melody Beasts. Unfortunately, being stuck in here did prevent that and his leads were drying up pretty fast at this rate.
Frustrated, Desmond stood up in a huff and booted the solid, black bars in front of him as he used it to bounce off and spin around on his heel. Then he walked over to the stiff, metal spring-boxed cot that was bolted onto the concrete wall. It also had the only window in the cell on the far, upper, right hand corner, covered in white, mosaic glass with three bars horizontally and vertically. The pale moonlight shining through giving the glass and a spot on the floor a faint, pale blue glow.
Leaning back with his hands behind his head, Desmond pressed up against the cold, hard concrete wall, ignoring a cob-web his had lightly grazed against. Insects were also something that did not bother him in the least. He'd swat it as easily as he breathed, to the young Detective it was more of a reflex and one that came quite naturally to him. Just like when he pulled the trigger on that Grasshopper when he got a clear shot on it. Heck, Desmond knew if given the chance he'd do it again, that lead was too invaluable to him as it was to let slip away again. Innocents be damned, he would get that lead no matter what. If it saved a million... Sacrificing one or a thousand would little to no burden left on his conscience.
Slowly and perhaps even with a little reluctance, Desmond closed his eyes. Though admittedly he did feel the affects of little sleep over the past two days weighing heavily upon them now. Earlier he had adrenaline to keep him going and now... just a little sleep wouldn't hurt. At least he hoped it wouldn't, he cared not for anymore nightmares. The Detective then decided to just shut and rest his eyes for a moment; long enough to rid himself from this sleeping spell that was coming over him all of the sudden.
~*~
In the security office sat two, lone, low ranking officers watching the display of three monitors, each one with a quad-video block feeding them the footage the cell blocks. A mid-thirties man with short, dark hair, almost like a comb-over sat on the left, while on the right, another man sat. This one a tad younger but with well kept, dark hair and bangs that hung out a bit further. Both of them clad in the standard Japanese Police Uniforms of the Zenmujiku city branch.
As the thirty year old stretches, placing his hand behind his back, cracking his fingers along the way, his chair squeaked aloud. Demonstrating how old and warn out it was and reflecting how he felt. The twenty-eight year old officer played a game of solitaire on the large, green counter top desk in front of them both.
Neither of them wanted to be there. They both had their vices they wanted to attend instead, but alas they were forced into guard duty. Heck the thought they were being punished had crossed their minds more then once. Still the two guards sat there lazily as they rarely bothered to check in on the monitors to see if Desmond was there or even okay for that matter. Then over near the left at the back of the small, cramped, rectangular room a door opened. In walked another officer in the same, dark blue uniform as they wore. This one was older though, with glasses and greying, slicked back hair. Very distinguished and a lifer from the looks of him.
In his hands he carried a cardboard tray with two white, Styrofoam cups, brimming steam from a pinhole in the top covers. “Coffee,” he said as he came up and placed the cups one at a time in front of the younger officers. They didn't really react much to his presence though, rather they just gave a smile and wave as they acknowledged him.
“Hey, coffee,” said the twenty-eight year old officer, picking up a cup and sipping it cautiously.
“Good, could use some. Thanks,” said the officer in his thirties, then took a sip out of his cup. The older gentleman watched as they drank heartily, not really minding the heat of the drinks. They were obviously used to it from how it seemed, just like most people in Japan were capable to eating and drinking hot things without much difficulty.
After a few more gulps they suddenly began to feel woozy, verging on sleepy and then the older one of the two knoked out first. The younger officer followed. Still awake and standing behind them the oldest of them smiled at the toppled over bodies for a moment, before looking over to the monitor and then holding up his left wrist. On his wrist was a black, strapped watch with silver trimming all over it.
“Proceed,” he spoke in a elderly, gruff voice into the watch on the underside of his wrist.
A second or two later the screens flickered and the camera focusing on the entrance tracked along from the door to Desmond's cell. There it stayed focusing in on the unaware Detective himself....
~*~
Desmond's eyes opened a little, but then abruptly he opened them fully as he heard the clank and squeal of the door's metal latch being released. Looking over towards the main entrance he saw a petite girl in a white latex, low-cut mini-dress, with a teal ponytail that sported twin, rings of hair in the back. Coming up to the main gate prior to entering the cell blocks, she gently pressed up against it, running her royal-blue, mid-arm length gloves over it seductively, while glancing back and forth through the tiny gaps in the caged gate.
Standing away from the gate, there came a loud buzz and shortly after that the gate itself slid across and allowed her access into the jail. Then the clicking and clacking of five-inch heels from a pair of thigh-high, royal-blue boots, got louder the closer she got to Desmond's cell.
Following her with just his eyes, Detective Yamato waited patiently to see what she was up to, or where she was heading. His logical conclusion was himself, but then again, she could be going to her own cell for that matter; but quickly dismissed the thought when no other officers came in after her. She wasn't cuffed either. Even he had been cuffed when they tossed him in here, and given the royal treatment of a a padding for his weapons and badge. Desmond doubted she was given such a warm welcome, though part of him probably wouldn't have minded doing that himself, under different circumstances.
Coming up to his cell, B-Girl ran her fingers lightly across the black bars while eyeing the resting Detective on the other side of the cell. As she did this, B-Girl had a wide smile upon her lips and stopping midway she gave a wave and in a joyful tone said, “Hiii...!!”
Desmond just stared for a moment, then after a bit and clearing his throat quietly he said, “I would ask if I could help you, but I am hardly in the position to do so. And normally I would be asking if you were lost. But I doubt very much that you are. Am I correct, or do I continue?”
“Oh....” she said, cocking her head to the left gently, but never taking her gaze off of him. “You're not very nice, are you? ...Des...mond....san...”
“Neat trick,” replied the twenty-seven year old Detective curiously while slowly sitting up and hunching over a bit, putting his hands upon his beige pants covered knees. There he eyed her carefully, then relaxed while taking a slow, deep, breath before glancing to the concrete under his shoes. Looking up to his gorgeous visitor, Desmond stared her right in the eyes. Hoping to see if he could discern her intentions through any kind of tell that could be picked up on. Sadly nothing seemed to stand out to him.
“What trick?” she asked innocently, then coyly shied away as she leaned her shoulder against the bars and clasped both hands together, casually, while waiting for the captive Detective's reply.
“My name,” he answered bluntly, “Using it in hopes to get a reaction out of me. From the get up you're that B-Girl I've been hearing about, and see in the sky on those... floating monitors. You're the spokeswoman for the Musicular Organization. Common knowledge you plaster in the public eye is quite easy to pick up. Maybe no one else gives such things a second though, but in my line of work. It's a necessity to look at what may seem normal and question the meaning behind it. To look in between the lines if that's too difficult to understand,” he explained in almost mocking manner with a small smirk, then continued, “And from what I can tell... there is something off about you. But I can't say you make a significant attempt to hide that fact.”
B-Girl's expression didn't change as she stared him down, at least not until she glanced away and then her expression switched to a serious one, but still with a little, devious smirk and sparkle in her eyes.
“So finding out about me shouldn't be that difficult. My name is no secret, and it's not one I try to keep as such either,” continued Desmond in a nonchalant manner, resting back comfortably against the wall again with his hands held behind his head. “So let's cut to it shall we? What do you want?”
Glaring at him through her smile as she lowered her head unhurriedly, B-Girl then gripped a hold one of the bars closest to her. Tightening her royal-blue, gloved hand around it, causing the latex to make a squeezing noise, she then pulled the barred door aside easily. Sparks quickly burst away from the lock as its mechanism became damaged in that instant, and was ripped off entirely.
Startled, Desmond sat up, but gradually lowering his arms just in case he had to act fast. Watching the petite, though incredibly strong spokeswoman, saunter leisurely into the cell, her heels clicking one at a time as she brought one foot in front of the other while moving closer towards the Detecive.
Detective Yamato's brow furrowed, watching her reach the edge of the bed where she stopped suddenly.
She eyed him carefully and smiled before leaning down, bending her body in half with hands held behind her back. Looking him right in the eye up close and personal, caught the twenty-seven year old off guard.
Before he was able to do anything, B-Girl then grabbed him by the right side of his jacket's collar.
Desmond then felt himself go flying from one, single, hard yank. Crashing into the three bars in the front of the cell that remained on the left hand side, he then slid to the concrete floor with a thud. A painful gasp escaped him, and he cringed and groaned trying his best to get himself up to his hands and knees. Until suddenly he felt the hard-tipped point of a B-Girl's latex-rubber boot, jab him in the stomach and the side of his ribs. Feeling the air being knocked out of him, he dropped like an old sack of potatoes against the cold, solid concrete. Breathing heavily he felt a bit of the sand on the floor flow into his nostrils, causing him to hack up a bit of a cough. Forgoing a sneeze, he felt another boot to his smash into stomach. Then Desmond smashed into the bars and floor again, this time he swore he hit both of them harder then the last time.
As he rolled back and forth on the cold concrete slowly, body aching all over and even his headache returning; Desmond tilted on his side and looked up at the cute, petite thing standing over him. Eyeing her with contempt, the aching, young Detective clenched his hands into fists. “You're not human...,” he stated as a matter of fact, spitting out a bit of blood shortly afterwards.
Holding up a finger B-Girl smiled and replied cutely, “Ping-Pong! I'm a woman.” Then lowering to a crouch with her legs closed together, she leaned in and gently played with the beaten man's, dark, shaggy bangs. Then suddenly she gripped his neck tightly and pulled him up off the floor just to bring him closer to her as she continued, “If you ever... ever... hurt my Kenkage again.” Pulling him closer, she shook her head while making a cute, angry face and finished, “Oooooh.... it won't be pleasant, no sir-y!”
Suddenly letting go of Desmond's neck, allowed him to drop fast.
His body and face slapped loudly against the floor, causing him to grit and groan lowly as a dull pain shot through him. Barely keeping his eyes open he was somehow able to watch the petite spokeswoman spin on her heel and saunter over towards the window with both hands behind her back. For a few moments he watched her looking out the pale, blue lit window before trying his luck to help himself off the floor, gripping shakily onto the bars next to him. Staggeringly he made it to one knee and looked back to see B-Girl still staring out the window.
It was then he felt a trickle run down his forehead again, then came a drop of red in front of his eye. He followed it and watched as it fell into a tiny splash at his feet. Desmond found himself bleeding again, and checking his stitches quickly with his finger tips, they were indeed torn. “****...,” he cursed under his breath, spitting out a little more blood after it built up in his mouth again. He wiped the bit off his lip on the right sleeve of his jacket, at least it was red so it wouldn't show all that much.
“I don't know anyone with a name like that!” he exclaimed in a mix of pain and anger, then glaring right at her he added, “And you are going to be under arrest for assaulting an officer of the law. Mark my words... *****...”
“I think not,” she said calmly, gingerly swaying back and forth on a heel before finally swinging back in his direction. “You see and do much but retain very little, Desmond-san... But really... what would Yuki think of what you have done?”
Desmond's eyes went wide with shock, before turning back to complete rage as he forced himself to his feet. Staggering towards her as fast as he could , the Detective prepared to throw a punch at the seemingly defenceless woman. Only to watch as she caught his fist with one hand. He felt her grip squeeze tightly around his hand, hearing a subtle, low crunch; and then the sharp, agonizing pain that shot up through. A second later he was forced to his knees.
She leaned down close to his right ear, “We're out of time I'm afraid, Desmon-san. Too bad, hmm.”
With that B-Girl in one swift movement, flipped Desmond over onto his back and then sauntered on out of the cell, slamming it shut behind her. “We'll talk again,” was all she said heading for the exit.
When Desmond looked she was gone, the gate slowly closing up along with the main door that lead out of the jail block. Again he was alone, now on the cold, concrete floor on his back in pain that wouldn't quit shooting throughout his body. He shook his head. There was no way he wanted to, or even could believe he just got his butt handed to him by that little thing. Not for a second did Desmond think she was human after that, let alone the fact she confirmed she wasn't, at least he thought she did. Though the question that flooded his mind and completely consumed this thoughts was... how dare she bring her up?
“Yuki....,” muttered Desmond to no one in particular.
~*~
As night turned to day over Zenmujiku city, the sky appeared to be filled with dark, murky rain clouds that loomed overhead. That turned what some probably hoped would be a nice day, to a rather depressing one. In fact it was only a matter of time before the plumped up clouds, unleashed all the water they had accumulated through the night. Still down below people went about their day. Some just prepared for it better then others as they dressed appropriately, or carried an umbrella.
Unbeknownst to the people below as they went about their usual routines, atop of one of the large skyscrapers that towered over the city center, stood a six-foot tall army-green, bi-pedal Locust with its arms crossed. It wore tattered, blood-red and orange clothes like briefs, also wrapped around its wrists and ankles. A similar scarf flourished in the cool, gusting wind around the creature. Although a Locust, it had small, human-like, beady lime coloured, squinted eyes that seemed to search very rapidly through the large groups below. Then suddenly the Melody Beast focused upon a smaller group that seemed to break off, and headed towards a small cafe on the side of the street.
Slowly the Locust Melody Beast ran a couple fingers down from the tip of its antennas before crossing the right arm in front of its chest again. There, the Creature tilted its clenched fist to reveal the palm and fingers scrunched together. Slowly it extended its thumb, giving the “thumbs down” gesture. With a nod the Locust leaped off of roof's antenna tower where it was standing, and back-flipped forward through the air, falling all the way down towards the city streets.
~*~
Minding their own business, the four people who broke away began to sit down at a small table for four, at a cafe on the side of the street. Then all of the sudden came the soothing, creepy Melody. As it filled their ears, each one had a look of terror in their eyes, which became wider and dilated the louder the music got. Panic set in fast as they all began to push away from the table, looking around for any sign of the Monster about to attack, and hopefully a nearby safe zone to run towards for safety.
Out of the blue came a humanoid foot, with insect-like plates all over it and semi-long, pointed nails; quickly striking each one of four pedestrians across the face! With each connection the foot made, came a loud crack and snap! When it was over they just stood there, heads back in pace and looking straight ahead. Their eyes still full of fear but now empty, as if void of any life that was once there. Now there was no light left in them to speak up and that's when one by one they fell to the ground, pale and lifeless. While there, standing on the table with its arms crossed looking all proud and triumphant, almost full of itself—the Locust Melody Beast.
As people bore witness to swift, precise and brutal act that just occurred before them, all frozen there in shock. They were unable to take their eyes off of the dead bodies, until they all hesitantly and maybe even unwillingly, gazed up to see the bravado filled Locust, snickering at them. Shortly afterwards a woman bystander screamed, then everyone went running away panicking and screaming.
Watching the people scamper away, running like chickens with their heads cut off, the army-green Locust merely made a quick, unimpressed clicking noise. Then with a short glance around for the next victim, it leaped into the air.
~*~
After waking up to the murky looking sky, Kuro slowly drug himself out of bed in only his boxers. Shuffling off to the bathroom he scratched through his smooshed up, dark brown bed hair. Once in he did his normal routine, jumped into the shower and brushed his teeth, then spat out the mouth wash he used to rinse. As he leaned over the sink he stared into the mirror and pulled down the lower, baggy lids of his eyes, he believed he looked terrible. It too forever to get to sleep the night before, thinking of that fight with the Wolf and that Lizard the day before that. Kuro just honestly hoped for a normal, no fighting at all kind of day. Although if he ran into Shizuka that would change... but at least he wouldn't have to do it with fists.
He stared down into the water pooling in the sink before him, the tap still running but the sound becoming distant as Kuro became consumed in his thoughts. Quickly splashing his face he turned off the tap, unplugged the sink and then watched as remaining water swirled down into the drain. Taking a deep breath he stayed there for a moment then pushed off the sink. Heading out of the bathroom he went to get dressed.
~*~
Exiting his apartment, dressed in dark green t, with an army-green, plaid, long-sleeve shirt opened over it and a pair of slightly baggy, kaki pants, Kuro made his way to the stairs and hurried down towards the side alley. He stared at the ground as he went along with his hands in his pockets, not really paying attention to much of anything. Until a pair of blue and white sneakers came into his field of vision and he stopped abruptly. Lifting his head he followed up a pair of nicely shape, smooth feminine legs that were covering in tight-fitting, low-rise jeans. He continued up seeing a black shirt, with random English words in a graffiti on the front, and the long sleeves rolled up up her arms. Finally Kuro's eyes met Shizuka's beautiful gaze. Also he noticed she had a little more make up on today which really grabbed his attention. Honestly he wondered if his heart had just skipped a beat a few seconds ago.
“Hi,” she said, a little uncertainly.
“Hi,” replied Kuro, curiously.
Both of them found themselves at a loss for words, unsure of how or where to begin. Though they knew they wanted to talk with one another. Kuro was somewhat curious to how she found his place though, unless she was going to see someone else. There were others living in the apartment complex, not just him so that was indeed a possibility.
Rubbing the back of his neck he took a step forward, “So... how'd you find me?”
Shizuka took a moment as she looked away and tried to find the best way to answer, then figured truthfully was probably the best way to go about it. If they were going to have this conversation now, it would be good to start off on the right foot. At least this time it would be a little better then how they first met. “My friend lives around here. Apartment forty-nine.”
“Ah,” replied Kuro, nodding. He thought about what to say next and then continued, “So... about yesterday.”
“Yeah...,” Shiuzka said while exhaling slowly, sticking her thumbs into her front jean pockets, “Yesterday was quite a day.”
“You could say that,” replied Kuro looking down to the ground, then unhurriedly gazed back into her eyes, taking quick glances at her rosy lips every so often. “There's nothing between B-Girl and I okay? She's the one doing all the... moves, or whatever.”
“Like you're not enjoying it?” she questioned accusingly, and crossing her arms in front of her.
“Hey now, come on. You can't hate me for enjoying some attention. Though she picks the worst, or at least the weirdest times to come onto me,” Kuro replied tiredly. Then to try and lighten the mood he added while gesturing up and down himself and subtly smiling, “Can't help she just wants some of this.”
“No accounting for taste,” said Shizuka bluntly while hiding a bit of a smirk as she shied away.
“Hey!” whined Kuro, holding out his arms in protest.
Sauntering away casually, Shizuka chuckled quietly to herself with a big smile across her face, keeping her back to Kuro allowed her to hide it well. Part of her was enjoying still causing him some grief over the matter, though there wasn't much to go on but his word that he wasn't two-timing. Though the look she saw in his eyes when he looked at her certainly made her want to believe he wouldn't. But she did want to know if his heart skipped like hers did. It took nearly everything she had not to come right out and ask him how he felt, she would rather him do it all on his own. Maybe take a hint and ask her out.
“Shizuka-san,” spoke Kuro.
It was enough to take the young woman come out of her thoughts, and she turned back to look at him as he wondered up towards her. “Yes?” she asked, brushing strands of her long, auburn hair out of her face.
“Do you...,” he began then suddenly something caught his attention and he looked up passed Shizuka's head. “Watch out!” Kuro shouted, running up and grabbing her, pulling the young woman closer to him as he used himself to shield her from incoming attack of the Locust Melody Beast!
Just as it was about to land its sharp toed, plated foot right into Kuro's back—the small, green-silver and black, robotic grasshopper smacked the creature away. The Melody Beast was sent flying but quickly recovered and kicked off the wall and landed a few feet from the two of them in a crouch. Slowly rising up it glared a the robotic grasshopper and then to Kuro, who held Shizuka behind him. Bringing its arm up across its plated, clothed chest, the Locut gave the 'thumbs down' gesture, and brought it down with a hard shake.
“You have got to be kidding me... -Again? --Really??” Kuro questioned aloud and to no one particular. Then to Shizuka as he pushed her back, “Go. Get back!” Turning around to face the Monster, Kuro quickly dug into his back pocket and brought out the green, circuitry-etched, Rider Disc. Holding it in front of his chest at an angle, the Driver began to form with a silver light around it on the front of his stomach. Once solidified the belt strap came out of the left side, shooting around behind him and connecting to the right of the buckle with click, with the light dissolving away shortly afterwards. With a furrowed brow, Kuro glared at the cocky Beast as it waltzed towards them both.
“I dunno why you want to kill us... but like hell I'll let that happen! Not now! Not ever!” Kuro proclaimed loud and clear, then pulled open the buckle.
“Driver Open!” exclaimed the buckle in its odd, video-game announcer voice.
Kuro locked the disc in on the golden, flat end knob in the center before shutting it; and a green laser bar scanned up and down it in a blink of an eye, before finally saying,"Hopper!"
Quickly outstretching his left arm across his chest at an upward angle, and at the same time, bringing his right forearm over top of the driver. Both hands open with the right down flat, ready to tap the button and the others' palm facing outward, he yelled, “HENSHIN!!” He tapped the top, grey, bar-shaped button then brought both arms to his sides, bent at the elbows, hands clenched tight into fists.
During that moment the disc in the middle of the buckle spun rapidly, shooting rays of green light every so often. Kuro watched as the Locust Beast leaped up into the air and then came down towards him with an elbow strike. In the nick of time he blocked it with both arms, driving a front kick into its gut, knocking it backwards a few steps. Then, Kuro, looking determined, stepped forward and landed a downward angled left hook, a right and then side-kicked the fiend in the stomach. He watched it wail back a bit only to attempt another strike, this time with its sharp nails of its right hand! Then suddenly out came the larger disc—striking the Melody Beast dead on, sending it flying through the air down the alleyway. Green laser beams followed and cut out the armor plate patterns in the blink of an eye, while the disc spun there in mid-air and came towards Kuro. As it was doing this the plates flipped out on joints and at the same time the black, leather body suit formed with the light-blue glow on the outer edges. As the armor attached all over, the buckle said in a sing-song voice: "Edge of the Ninja...!"
Once transformed, Kuro noticed this time the sword as on his back, sheathed in the same material as the body suit. “Whoa...,” Kuro breathed through the green and silver grasshopper, techno-ninja helmet. He felt a little amazed that it was there, though he didn't have a problem with it. Certainly made it easier for him to get now in a fight. Then the agitated clicking from the Locust brought him back to reality, and Kenkage now took a fighting stance with both hands up in front of him. “Alright..”
Shizuka watched as Kuro in the Grasshopper, Techno-Ninja Armour and the Locust Melody Beast, charged towards each other head on. Hiding behind a nearby metal, staircase while witnessing their battle unfold with her own eyes, she kept on asking herself how does anyone get used to something like this? Though there was no certainty that she would ever find any sense of normality in life, not with Beasts or... this.
Kenkage and Locust repeatedly traded blows back and forth as they danced around each other, sparks flying every so often off of the Grasshopper's armour. Landing a few blows, the Grasshopper-Ninja Rider then threw a round-house kick. The Creature ducked and spun out of the way, only to take an elbow right in the face. Even though slightly stunned, the Locust quickly shook it off and continued against its haphazardly fighting opponent. As Kenkage attempted to land a right cross the Melody Beast dodged again, but this time landed a swipe from its sharp toenails, returning a round-house kick of its own. Cutting across Kenkage's chest, sparks sprayed everywhere!He was sent falling back against the wall as he exclaimed in pain, then slid down onto his butt.
Not really stunned though, Kuro then glanced up to see the Locust Monster bounce up and down gesturing its hands like Bruce Lee. The Creature even mimicked the nose swipe with its thumb. Until out of the blue, the Grasshopper motorcycle sped in front of the Locust, slashing it across the chest and sending it tumbling away, with sparks flying through the air. The bike skidded and screeched to a stop a little further down the alley, turning to face the exit before finally stopping.
The Locust swiftly recovered again and glared at the bike, only to quickly cock its head in Kenkage's direction as he got to his feet; pulling out the green, black and silver gripped, sword on his back. Startled the Monster jumped slightly, then charged for the Armoured Grasshopper Ninja, reading to strike once again.
Kenkage readied his sword at the same time moving a little antsy. Then he too charged in and swung the sword as best as he could. Though he wasn't a real swordsman, Kenkage manged to swipe well enough to put the Locust on the defensive. Suddenly he stabbed forward with both hands gripped tightly on the handle, and manged to land the strike! A burst of sparks erupted from the impact, knocking the Locust onto the ground again. Quickly bringing the sword up to the side, tip pointed right at his enemy and the edge aied towards the sky; Kenkage waited for the monster to make its move.
It was then that the Creature spun away and leaped into the air, leaving the field of battle far behind in its dust trail.
Just then the motorcycle charged forward behind Kuro while he tracked the monster through the metallic-red, compound bug eyes. “Trying to run?!” he shouted and then brought both arms out to the sides before jumping with both feet together. Flipping back in mid-air he landed, almost expertly onto the black, leather seat of his bike. Grabbing a hold of the handles after sheathing his sword, Kenkage revved up the throttle and dashed out into the street; racing after the fleeing Melody Beast.
Left behind, Shizuka carefully stepped out from where she was hiding and stared down the alleyway until Kuro disappeared from her sights. Still scared and trembling a little, Shizuka then wondered what she was going to do now. Just then the clouds over head started to become darker as they moved closer, and the looming sound of thunder cracked loudly in the sky above her head. Then she looked up towards the front balcony that came around to the side, leading to another downward staircase. But what came around the corner startled Shizuka out of her wits.
Coming towards her from around that corner from the front of the building, was a towering, yellow-fur and skinned with black spots, bi-pedal Cheetah. Clad in a brass coloured chest plate, that was curved at the bottom, and had four round orbs in a semi-circle pattern. Blue loin clothes dangled in the front and back as twin, scarf link flaps hung from the back of its shoulders.
Then the darkened clouds began to unload its accumulated rain and it poured hard. Soaking both Shizuka and the monster quickly. Frightened out of her mind, Shizuka cautiously walked backwards, running her hand long the side of stone wall, hoping to find something to grab or hide behind.
Just as the Cheetah Melody Beast took a step towards her, a red and silver, cylindrical spike, that was slightly narrower at the front—stabbed into the stone wall in front of the creature. The Melody Beast halted in its tracks as it starred at small weapon, following metal, beaded line right behind it. With a kind of low-buzzing sound that seemed to get a little more high-pitched, the wire retracted, or rather pulled a small, purple and silver coloured, robotic scorpion onto the wall. It pulled out the spike and locked it back onto the tip of the tail before walking around to face the Cheetah Monster. Pinching the air with its twin, purple-painted, metal, clamp-like claws in a threatening manner; the Scorpion gave a few echo, metallic noises.
Raising a black, clawed hand, the Cheetah was about to strike it off the wall, but from the corner of its small, human-shaped, moon-yellow eyes it saw something. Looking up fro the robot-scorpion, the Cheetah saw across from the backyard of the apartment complex, on top of the adjacent building—a tall, male shaped being in a black, leathery body suit. Though this one had grey armour with black and silver accents; in the design of a Spider crossed with a Techno-Samurai and holding a spear in one hand, with the non-bladed end planted on the rooftop. Two smokey-white, compound eyes stared back into the beady, moon-yellow ones of the Cheetah.
Quickly the Spider-Samurai twirled the spear back and forth in front of him before aiming the tip of the double-edged, six-inch, silver bladed spearhead at the Beast. Turning it on an angle, it made a noise as it cut the air.
The Melody Beast reluctantly began to walk backwards shortly after that, only giving the scorpion, Shizuka and then the Spider-Samurai a second glance before charging off around the front of the building.
Shizuka stood there confused, though she saw the robot scorpion, she was rather curious to what drove the thing off. Then as if feeling someone was watching her, she turned around and looked in the direction the creature had looked. There was nothing there though, at least nothing she could see. If there was something that had been there, it was no gone. Then looking back she found the robot scorpion was no gone too.
“Huh?”
~*~
Chasing the Melody Beast all through the city until finally reaching a place in the country side that had been abandoned for some time. Unkempt vegetation growing in from all sides over top of the desolate buildings that remained, though damaged and decaying. Kenkage followed it into an open area, covered in damp gravel, grassy areas and even a fountain in the center of it all, with a tree sprouting from it. Seeing the creature stop and preparing to turn to maybe attack him, Kenkage popped the bike into a wheelie and drove the front tire across its chest. Sparks fly from the impact point and send the monster spinning onto its side hard.
Rolling along the gravel until it finally stopped, the Locust staggered up to its hands and knees, and glared right at the Grasshopper Ninja on the motorbike.
Kenkage figured it was cursing him in its human-sized, antenna flailing head, but honestly wasn't caring about that. It could curse him all it wanted, he was still going to destroy it. Dismounting from the bike, Kuro unsheathed his sword and brandished it as he stopped a few feet from the bike. Though a couple feet from the monster, he waited for a moment to see what it was going to do. Locust stayed where it was and just glared. Kuro grew impatient and then charged forward, holding the sword with one hand and readying for a downward strike! As he was about to follow-through with it, Kenkage missed as the Locust rolled on its side away from him!
With a growl, clearing growing frustrated, Kenkage charged again and this time with both hands gripping the sword handle—he went for a overhead swing! He missed again but quickly went with an under slash and managed to cut across the Beasts chest, shooting sparks into the air.
The Locust landed on it's back with a thud, sending many pieces of gravel flying away from the impact. As it staggered up with its hands, the Melody Beast shook off the sting and swiped with another kick, this time knocking the next attack of the Rider's sword. It then spun up with another kick and slashed Kenkage's chest, sending him spiraling back with sparks of his own.
Kenkage quickly rolled to one knee and held up his sword, reading for the next assault. Though they stayed where they were for some time, watching and waiting for the other to make the next move yet again. Getting frustrated and annoyed with this waiting game, Kuro punched the gravel below and then jumped into the air, coming down with another overhead attack. Swiping he missed as the Creature evaded! Not wanting to get caught from behind, Kenkage swung blindly behind him with a spin, only to find the Monster was nowhere in sight. He scanned back and forth quickly but couldn't find the Beast anywhere at all.
Taking a few quick jogging steps forward, Kuro looked all around him and still there was no sign of the Locust. “Where the hell...?”
~*~
Up on top of one of the larger, white, concrete buildings that remained mostly intact, the Locust Melody Beast watched from a far. It crossed its arms and attacked unimpressed, with a hint of annoyance to it as well as it glared with its beady, lime coloured eyes. Doing the 'Bruce Lee nose wipe' with it's thumb it cocked its head to the right for a moment, then leaped off somewhere; leaving the Rider alone.
~*~
Kenkage continued to look around him, but no matter what he did he could not find his opponent. Finally giving up he stated to sheath the sword onto his back—then suddenly deep, yellow blur struck across his chest. Erupting in a huge, explosive burst of sparks, Kenkage spun around and stumbled back a few feet. He looked around him, in awe and taken aback at what just happened. Then the blur struck from behind him, causing another explosive burst of sparks! He spun around again but steadied himself with his sword, and just as he was about to ready it again, he suffered a double strike, back and forth across his chest again. This time losing his weapon entirely as it flung in the air. Watching it and preparing to grab it before it hit the ground—Kuro felt his whole body becoming assaulted by hard and fast slashes that moved like lightning!
One final cut crashed across his chest, this time closer to his neck and face, as it went up his body this time; and the explosive outburst of sparks that sprayed was much larger. Also it was much more powerful as it flung Kenkage into a back-flip and at the same time, yelled out in agonizing pain!
To Be Continued...
Ending:
"4U" -camino.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VMuNcI9ux4"]4U / camino - YouTube[/ame]
Ending:
"4U" -camino.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VMuNcI9ux4"]4U / camino - YouTube[/ame]
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Yes...[/Megatron] :laugh:
