Call to Action
#1 of Buddyfight - Discarded Fable
I'm back! After a few years, the sequel to Dragonic Fable is finally here! Join Drum as he faces the perils of an old enemy and a new terror, all trying to destroy the peace he and Gao protected! Old allies will return, dedicated to stop the rising shadows! Now, cue the Buddyfight 100 2nd OP!
It's been several months since the terror of Yamigedo was put to rest. For Gao and his friends, life has returned to normal and peace once again reigns. The Worlds across the cosmos are safe to rebuild and flourish, while new ones emerge from their isolation. Children and adults all around the world can now enjoy Buddyfighting to their heart's content.
Monsters, old and new, reunite with companions long thought forgotten. As myth is turned into fact, the new Worlds are quick to integrate themselves back into society, with no small amount of difficulty. Still, it is a welcome return and life continues as it is wont to do.
So peaceful was this period in time that no one would expect a new terror to arise in its place, to threaten the peace of the universe...
Cho-Tokyo had quickly bounced back after Yamigedo's attack. The busiest parts of the city had received immediate aid from both the human and other worlds, allowing the major roads to be opened shortly. However, the scars of Yamigedo's terror were still fresh, and, despite swift responses from the Buddypolice and the National Guard, much of the city was still under repair.
Still, it hadn't stopped the citizens from their recreations, and a large fair had been arranged to celebrate another section of the city being reconstructed. A small Buddyfight tournament was being held, drawing a modest crowd and exciting the youths in the area. Their enthusiasm was infectious and brought back a feeling of normalcy to the people.
It all came to a stop when a loud slam echoed out from the city limits, disrupting the peaceful ambiance that had filled the air. Crowds had gathered among the streets of Cho-Tokyo, various civilians pointed out that the noise came from a section of the city still under construction.
It was from one of those buildings on the far side of the city that the noise came from. At first, nothing about the derelict building seemed amiss, and most of the crowd was ready to dismiss it as a trick of the ear. That was, until a loud explosion rung out. A blur slammed into the building, the dilapidated walls crumbling like paper from the impacts.
Eventually, momentum died, and the blur slowed down after being catapulted from the structure. A young boy toppled to the ground, gasping weakly as he lay on his back.
"So, this is all the Buddycop Boy Wonder, Tasuku Ryuenji, is capable of?" A female voice mockingly remarked, though the boy didn't show any signs of hearing her. Its owner emerged from the hole Tasuku's body had created in the building, long red hair framing a fair face and obscuring her eyes. She walked up calmly to the boy until she was above him, and snored in contempt.
She reached down, a gauntlet covered hand grasping onto Tasuku's collar and raising him up so he could meet her eyes. The girl possessed a runner's build, with muscles fit for speed rather than power, but she had no trouble holding Tasuku up in front of her.
"Who...are you?" Tasuku rasped out weakly. "Why are you doing this?"
The girl was silent for a long moment, and when she spoke, it was in a low tone, a far departure from the boastful tone she had used earlier. "I have come for the sorceress, Morganna. I was expecting Mikado, so you," she turned hard on her heel and flung the boy back across the field. "Are in my way!"
As he hurtled through the air, once again at gravity's whims, Tasuku couldn't help but wonder. Gao... what does the universe have against you? And after you finally defeated Yamigedo...
*** 2 Hours Earlier ***
A loud explosion kicked up a plume of dust that obstructed the boy's vision. He glanced down at his hand, noting the rare sight that there wasn't a shield card to be found. He looked back to the clearing smoke to stare at the monster poised at the center. Its huge body cast an equally sizable shadow that covered the filled. Snarling fangs opened wide, unlashing a mighty roar, as it readied itself for the next attack.
"Gao!" a voice from his side called. The young fighter looked towards his Buddy, Drum Bunker Dragon, with equal parts worry and resolve. Clad in his Crimson Battler armor, the armordragon cut an imposing figure on the battlefield, but stuck as he was on the right position, he was unable to aide his Buddy.
Gao Mikado, the mighty sunfighter, found himself staring down at the monstrous visage of Yamigedo, its Buddy grinning down at him with a delightful glee.
"Go, Yamigedo!" He yelled, throwing out an arm clad in a red gauntlet. "Devour Gao's life and end this!"
Gao knew he didn't have a response, but he stood still, looking at the monster that would be his end. The young boy cried out as the massive centipede eater of worlds' maw descended on him, quite literally chewing his life down to 0.
GAME OVER: WINNER BOLT FUCHIGAMI
"Yes! This makes victory number 50!" Bolt cried out, his Buddy shrinking down to its tadpole like form and squeaking for joy.
Gao groaned as he got up, shaking his head to clear away the dizziness. The Castle fighting stage broke away, showing the enraptured audience that had gathered during their recent bout.
"You really got me that time," Gao laughed. "Taking on Yamigedo without the Cavalry Dragons is a lot harder than it looks."
"You're telling me!" Drum grumbled, shrinking down to his SD form. "I know they needed to go back with Tenbu, but you think they'd leave us their cards or something."
"It wouldn't be as much fun if I didn't have a handicap!" Gao said, still smiling. "Besides, this just makes us even!" He stared challengingly at Bolt, a fire in his eyes.
"Yeah, this puts us at 50 wins each," laughed Bolt, staring Gao down. "We're still undecided! We can't leave things at a tie!"
"You took the words right out of my mouth," answered Gao. "I'll challenge you 100 times before I'm satisfied!"
"I knew you'd say that," chuckled Bolt. "I'll accept any challenge from you!"
"You two are real hotheads," snorted Drum. "The way you go at it, you'd think you'd be part of the Bunker clan."
"I'd think you'd be happy to have more challenges," Gao said as the elevator took them back down to the central area. "It's nice to have a friendly match after all we've been through."
"Well, yeah, I like fighting him," Drum said, pausing to let the elevator doors open. "I just wish we'd be making more headway. Kinda feels like we're spinning our wheels, ya know?"
"Are you sure it's that, and not that you're still miffed about not being an Omni Lord anymore?" Gao teased.
Drum pouted, but said nothing.
"Don't worry, bro," came Baku's voice. He and Kuguru were heading down from the spectator's area, the young deck builder already working down a quick snack. "These consecutive fights are great for testing deck consistency. You just leave the strategy to me, I know I can make you a deck that can beat him! With or without the Omni Lord powers!"
"I'm counting on you, Baku," Gao said, giving his friend a fist bump.
"You'll need all the help you can get!" Bolt laughed as he approached the group. "It'll take another 50 matches before you get a leg up on me again!"
"Well I'll be happy to meet you every step of the way!" Gao retorted, grinning eagerly.
"Great, another 50 matches with the hot heads," Drum grumbled.
"Oh, let them have their fun," said Kuguru. "Tasuku's been off on Buddypolice business so often that Gao hasn't had time to fight with him. Plus with Noboru and the others still recovering, he's been going stir crazy. I think its good he's found a new rival."
"I guess," Drum reluctantly agreed, but his distant tone drew looks of worry from the two humans.
"Is everything okay, Drum?" asked Kurugu. "It's not usual for you to be so pensive."
"Maybe he's just hungry," Baku suggested, and he held up a spare bento box. If there was anyone who'd sympathize with a food problem, it'd be him. "I snagged this from the food court. Can't have our star monster fight on an empty stomach!"
"It's not that," Drum retorted, but his stomach disagreed loudly. "Well...okay, maybe it is." He took Baku's gift and scarfed down his meal, chewing his food slower than usual while he thought about Kuguru's question.
She's right, I am thinking too much again, he noted to himself. This always happens when things get quiet. Why can't I get this way when it comes to things worth thinking about!?
He spared a glance over at the two humans, each one saying how they'd one-up the other next time around. And while he couldn't deny having a slight thrill run up his spine at the idea of actually managing to topple Yamigedo on his own merit...he just wasn't that interested in fighting after that.
Which made his head hurt worse, since it went against everything he'd come to know and believe about himself.
Argh, what is wrong with me? Not interested in a Buddyfight? What kind of thinking is that? Despite his better judgement, he thought about a reason. The most prominent one being, aside from some combat experience, there wasn't much in it for him.Yeah, because that doesn't make me sound like a total jerk. What else?
Lack of motivation, growing discontent with repetition, anxiousness; all of which translated to one thing. Drum was bored.
He wanted to hit himself for even thinking that, but he supposed in some way it was true. WIthout a new challenge to go up against, things had gotten too quiet. Especially now that all the Cavalry Dragons and Tenbu had left. Though they had teased him relentlessly about his qualifications as an Omni Lord, he'd gotten used to them after a while. The house had been filled with amiable chatter from all 8 of them together, and there'd been a sense of expanded camaraderie that he hadn't felt in too long.
Not since Axia had...
And now I'm thinking about him again, Drum sighed to himself, and risked a glance at Baku and Kuguru. The two were chatting amongst themselves, unaware of his inner ponderings, much to his relief. Not telling them anytime soon. I already had Gao tease me about that for days. I can only imagine what'll happen if those two catch wind of it.
He cringed as he took another bite out of his food, unaware that there was nothing left to eat and that he just bit into his spoon instead. He hadn't realized it, but he'd eaten all of his food during his self introspection. Even worse, he couldn't even remember what he just ate!
"You sure you're alright, bro?" asked Baku. "You've been in a bit of a funk for the last few days. And this isn't the first time you've forgotten your pre-meal snack."
Have I really been that out of it? Drum shook his head, trying his best to look alright. "Yeah, I'm fine... I just... had something on my mind is all."
"That's easy to see, even from up here," a gruff voice called from above, drawing the group's attention. The speaker, Jackknife Dragon, alongside his Buddy Tasuku Ryuenji, descended from the mall's open roof and landed in front of them. "That ponderous look don't suit you," the green dragon added.
"Tasuku! Jack!" Gao yelled, running towards the duo. "It's great to see you guys again."
"And what do you mean about my look not suiting me?" Drum huffed at Jack.
"Only that you aren't so easily distracted unless someone's on your mind," Jack answered, smirking proudly.
Drum quickly hushed up, Jack's phrasing not being lost on him. The green dragon knew more about Drum's dilemma than anyone else, and while he never told him, Tasuku or Gao everything about his trip to Magic and then Legend World, the questions he'd asked Jack during his little excursion gave the green dragon a better insight as to what could be troubling him.
Drum glanced back at the others to see if they had noticed anything, and sighed in relief when he saw them converge around Tasuku.
"It's great to see you again too, Gao," Tasuku said at last. "But I'm afraid this isn't a casual visit. Count Dawn sent me to bring you back to Buddypolice headquarters."
"Wha- me!?" Gao yelped. "But why? I haven't done anything wrong!"
"You're not in trouble," Tasuku said quickly. "But there is an urgent matter that requires your attention. The message asked for you specifically."
"Who would ask for Gao personally?" wondered Kuguru.
"I'm sorry, but it's not something that can be discussed publicly," replied Tasuku. "We can answer your questions back at HQ."
"But didn't you quit the Buddypolice, Gao?" asked Bolt.
"I did. It must be serious if Dawn sent for us though," Gao said. "I'm really sorry, but I'll have to cut our match short."
"Don't worry about it," Bolt waved off. "I was gonna win the next round, so it's for the best!"
"You keep telling yourself that," Drum replied. "We always bounce back, no matter how hard were knocked down."
"Then go knock over whatever's causing you grief so I can do the same when you get back," Bolt laughed.
"We'll see who'll be knocking who down!" Gao declared proudly. "Alright Tasuku, lead the way. C'mon Drum!"
"Just when you think you're out, they pull you right back in!" Drum quipped as he spread his wings. Then again, maybe a call to action will help get my head on straight, he thought.
BUDDYSKILL ON
Both Gao and Tasuku's Buddyskills lit up beneath them and the four flew away, leaving their friends waving and wishing them well from the arena.
The Buddyfight headquarters, once in ruins from Yamigedo's ferocious attack, now stood proudly amongst the skyscrapers of Cho-Tokyo. With the threat of the Hundred Demons officially over, their forces were able to reconsolidate and focus on the overdue repair of their HQ.
"Oh, Tasuku," Gao said as they landed outside the main entrance. "You said it was Count Dawn that asked for me. Is Commander I still absent?"
"No, we found him," Tasuku replied, much more sheepish than Gao imagined he'd be. "It's a little embarrassing how we found him, though. He'd apparently been doing his best to fight alongside us, but got..." he grunted and looked to Jack for help.
"Derailed," the green dragon finished.
"Derailed?" Drum wondered. "By what?"
"We'll explain later," Tasuku hurriedly said. "There are more pressing matters to discuss."
Gao and Drum shared a confused look, but decided to let the matter drop as they followed Tasuku through the building. Old muscle memory helped guide them to the briefing room where Count Dawn waited with several other officers. Stella and Takihara were both manning computers, bringing up dozens of files that filled the main screen and that Dawn was examining with rapt attention.
"Count Dawn," Tasuku said when it became apparent the Count was too absorbed in his work. "I brought Gao and Drum, as you requested."
Dawn perked up and swiftly turned around, a hint of a smile gracing his features. "Ahh, good, you've both made it. I'm sorry to bring you here so unexpectedly, but the situation called for you by name."
"I'm happy to help if I can," said Gao. "But why would anyone ask for me?"
"My apologies, I should've been more specific," the Count said, turning his gaze toward Drum. "It called for you, Drum."
"Me?" parroted Drum, now looking very nervous. "Look, if it's about that time I ate Takihara's lunch, I swear I didn't see the label on it!"
The named officer stopped his typing, and glared at the small dragon. But before he could get in a good word, Dawn quickly cut in.
"No, this is not about any of your past snacking. Unfortunately, this matter is quite serious. A few hours ago, we have received an interesting video message that asked for you by name." He turned to the other assembled officers. "Stella, could you play back video file 19?"
"On it," Stella replied, her fingers moving over her keypad.
The plethora of files on the monitor disappeared, replaced by a large video window displaying a woman in a flowing black dress. She looked out of breath and her formerly smooth hair was frazzled. To at least three quarters of the room, she was an unknown woman, and it came to several people's surprise when Drum gasped in recognition.
"Morganna!?" he yelled.
Before anyone could ask about Drum's outburst, the named woman spoke.
"My name is Morgan la Fey," she began, "though some may know me as the Great Sorceress, Morganna. I have sent this message in hopes that I would receive asylum. I am being pursued by a terrifying force that seeks to use my powers to an awful end, and I would ask the Buddy Police to help me."
"Why should we trust you!" Drum growled, as if the monitor could hear anything. "After all that you did to us back in Legend World!"
"I have brought harm to many monsters before," the recording continued, "and I am willing to be put in containment, so long as I am safe. There is a dragon who works among you that knows of me - Drum Bunker Dragon. I have wronged him in the past, as well as his companions, but he can attest to my sincerity."
"'Sincerity'," Drum snorted in contempt. "Yeah, right."
"Please," the woman begged, as if in response. "I do not know how much longer I can hide. Even now I am being pursued. For months, I have been at the mercy of-"
"Morganna!" A male voice yelled from off screen. "They found us!"
The witch gasped as a loud explosion was heard, and flung her hand over the image, cutting the feed. Silence overtook the room once the video ended, no one able to parse what had just happened.
"That was Mordred..." Drum finally said, drawing everyone's attention. "That last voice belonged to him, I know it."
"Morganna and Mordred are two rogue monsters who have been on the run in Legend World for several years now," Count Dawn mused on the names for a moment, before turning to Drum. "I am aware of these two myself, but I'm surprised that you seem to know them both."
"We ran into each other a while back," the armordragon explained. "Before the Hundred Demons incident. They gave me a good amount of grief."
"And now they seem to be in trouble," continued Dawn. "Why did they ask for you, though?"
"Beats me," Drum shrugged. "I don't owe 'em any favors." He crossed his arms, and was content to pout until another thought hit him. "Unless that was Sofia again..."
"Sofia?" came the group's collective surprise.
"She was partnered up with Morganna back when we first met," Drum explained. "The two of them wanted to use the powers of a legendary lake in Legend World, but that partnership went south midway through. Sofia took over and destroyed both her and Mordred before going after us."
"If she's the one behind the attack, then it's possible that Kyoya is behind this assault as well," Dawn surmised. "Considering their involvement in the Yamigedo incident, we must consider the possibility that he has a new plan, and is already putting it into motion."
"Do you really think it could be him?" asked Stella. "He's been inactive for the last few months and hasn't made any public broadcasts. Even the Gaen Financial group has been pretty quiet."
"That's exactly how he got the drop on us during the Yamigedo incident," concluded Dawn. "We cannot discount his involvement, not with probable evidence that he might be up to something." He turned toward Gao and Drum, clear reluctance in his tone. "Much as I dislike involving civilians in police affairs, with Commander I still on sick leave and the rest of our forces spread so thinly with the recovery efforts, I must ask you two to help bring this monster in and protect her from Kyoya's influence if need be."
"We're on it, Count!" said Gao.
"Anything to get back at that jerk," agreed Drum. "Hey, does this mean I can use my Hero World skills again?"
"Ordinarily, those powers are only to be used by a Buddypolice officer," Dawn began. "But considering the nature of this case, I shall allow you to use them as you see fit. Just be sure to be safe out there."
"No need to worry about us. We know what to do," Gao affirmed before turning to his Buddy. "You ready for an Emergency Launch, Drum?"
"Always!" He said as he jumped up, energy swirling over him. "Decker Road Open!" His armor vanished piece by piece, replaced by his Hero World set. "Decker Drum's on patrol!"
"It's been a while since you've worn those," Tasuku observed.
"Yeah, never thought I'd be putting on these duds again," Drum answered, giving himself a once over. "Finding Morganna will be easy with my Seven Secrets on the job!"
"It's up to you now," Dawn announced. "Locate Morganna and rescue her if necessary. Tasuku will be acting as backup."
"Alright!" cheered Gao. "This'll be just like old times! You ready Drum?"
"I was hatched ready, kid!" he called back, and he eagerly spread his wings, his eyes glowing bright as he activated his Buddyskill.
He took to the skies and the rest followed, catching up to Drum and falling into a formation that had been used back when Gao visited with Tasuku in Dragon World. It brought back fond memories to the red dragon, and Drum couldn't help but be excited about their mission.
This is just what I needed, something new to shake things up! The odd feeling in his gut had finally loosened, all the nervous energy he'd had finally being put to use. Out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but notice Jack look worriedly at him, but he shook it off just as he did his own concerns. There's nothing to worry about now! We'll go in, crack some heads and be back in time for pudding. Everything'll be just fine!
Darkness bathed the room, held back only by a few torches placed along the walls and the viewing orb that floated freely in the center of the room. Its translucent blue hue showed Gao and Bolt's latest bout played out. It was a recording, intercepted from Paruko's broadcast, but it was clear enough for the group who watched on. Three robe-clad figures surrounded the sphere, their features hidden by their robed and the lack of light.
"Yamigedo has been tamed and now fights for...fun," a gruff voice murmured as its owner watched the named monster's tadpole form shriek in victory. "I never thought I'd see the day."
"The worlds it ate are returning to their proper places," Another voice joined in. "The very cosmos is expanding now that its hunger has been quelled."
"Darkness Dragon World has undergone a shift as well," a third, higher-pitched voice added. "It seems our old master still has some fight left."
"Our master before the Hundred Demons," the first voice remarked wistfully. "I can't even remember those times..."
"Don't get all sentimental on us," the second voice calmly reprimanded. "Gratos let himself fall pray to the vices of the human world, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard."
"Yeah, Voremos," The third voice chuckled. "Don't wanna get eaten yourself now, do ya? How ironic would that be?"
"Don't get smart with me, Aberrucia. We all lost power when Gratos was defeated," Voremos grumbled, clenching a skeletal fist in frustration. "Even with our strength pooled together, we were still defeated by that... ridiculous conductor."
"Gratos was too shortsighted, and gave far too much autonomy to his puppets. This time..." the second voice said as its owner raised an arm. The orb's image changed, showing a feed of the city still under construction. It focused on one building in particular, zooming in until the it showed a woman in a flowing gown hiding amongst the rubble. "We have direction."
"We're really going along with this, Thanatos?" Aberrucia asked, tapping a bony finger to his chin. "We're going along with this convoluted plan?"
"If it will help us get our old master back, then yes, we are," Voremos grunted to his fellow knight. "We shall bide our time, and maybe get something out of this roundabout scheme."
"Convoluted or not, this time we know exactly how to reach our objective," Thanatos remarked. "And anything's better than working with that sniveling human, Shido. Even if this new one is-"
"Hey!" The assembled knights turned around, seeing a lone figure walk up towards them. It was an adolescent youth, no older than 16, but she cut an intimidating presence, and her stare cowed them all easily. "What're you schmucks doing? Our targets are moving into position." She glanced at the orb, the image switching to an arial view of Gao, Tasuku and their Buddies heading towards the city - to the same area the woman was hiding.
"Our apologies," Voremos offered, giving the girl a light bow. "We were simply preparing ourselves for the upcoming plan."
"Well, hurry it up," the girl commanded. In the darkened corridor, her amber eyes seemed to take on a yellow tint. "Gratos has almost finished his preparations, and you three need to be ready to head out. It's time to earn your keep."
She turned on her heel and walked off, her footsteps echoing on the stone floor.
"'Earn your keep' she says," Aberrucia mocked once the footsteps faded away. "We're just glorified bodyguards for this brat!"
"Patience, Aberrucia. Patience," reassured Voremos. "It will all be worth it, once we reawaken our true Lord. In the meantime, we will play this game of theirs. Once our true Lord revives, our time will come..."
Gao and Tasuku soared over the skies of Cho-Tokyo, searching frantically for the sorceress, Morganna. Though it'd only been an hour since the Buddypolice had received her distress call, time felt like a valuable commodity with her pursuers so close to her. Drum lead the small group, using his signature Decker Nose to catch a trace of Morganna's scent, but as the minutes ticked by, it became apparent that they were searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Too much time has passed, I can't smell her or the knight anywhere!" Drum groused.
"And with how big this city, we'll never find them in time," Jack murmured.
"There's no point in us staying together, we'll have to split up," said Tasuku. "Gao, you and Drum head towards the east side while I check the west. First to find her radios the other."
Gao shared a pensive look with Drum. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Drum asked. "Morganna's no ordinary witch, and anyone who's making her scared can't be a lightweight."
"I won't try to face them in direct combat," Tasuku reassured them. "If it really is Kyoya and his subordinates, I'll know what to watch out for. Worst comes to worst, I'll run and call you right away for backup."
Gao stared at him while longer, but nodded at the boy. "Alright, sounds like a plan. We'll meet back here in an hour."
"Make sure you comb every inch you can," called Drum. "You won't have my Decker Nose to help."
"We'll make due," chuckled Tasuku. "Good luck out there."
Giving the boy one last nod, Gao and Drum and took off further into the city. Tasuku watched them disappear between two of the larger buildings before he turned to face his search area.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to split up?" asked Jack. "Drum wasn't wrong about Morganna's pursuers. If they're strong enough to have her on the run, we'll need all the backup we can get."
"Staying together may be safer," Tasuku replied. "But it won't matter if we can't even find her. This'll let us cover more ground faster, and if we happen to find Morganna first..."
"You're hoping Gao won't have to get involved," Jack finished. "Even after he said he'd help you."
"He's already been through enough, Jack," Tasuku protested on instinct. "I don't want him to have to deal with this, not after we managed to return peace to the city."
"Some things never change," sighed Jack. "Though that's all the more reason for me to make sure you don't do anything reckless."
Tasuku laughed at the light jab. "There's no need to worry, I have no intention of shouldering this by myself. We'll do this together, and stop whatever plot is brewing."
"Spoken like a true Buddycop," said Jack proudly. "Alright, we'll go. It'll be a good time to test our new deck, too."
"You think it's ready for a field test?" asked Tasuku. "That power's still new to you."
"There's no better time," reassured Jack. "I know you're ready for it, and practice matches against Takihara will only get you so far."
"You're right," Tasuku nodded. "We'll use our new power to combat whatever faces us!"
"That's the spirit!" encouraged Jack, as he started flying to their section of the city. "Now let's get moving, before Gao and Drum cover this side of the city, too."
"Right!" Tasuku kicked off towards the next area, his Buddyskill trailing behind his feet as he took off flying alongside his Buddy.
Though Jack didn't have Drum's Hero World enhancements, the Star Dragon World modifications helped boost his senses even in his mini form. Much like Drum, Jack ended up 'following his nose' through most of the city, having caught a scent that, in his own words, smelled "distinctly of Legend World". It wasn't the strongest lead, but it was a start, and so the pair headed down a less trodden path.
The bustling crowds that littered the city streets slowly dwindled, replaced by large yellow warning signs signaling the condition of the area. Though recovery efforts had been swift, there were still some areas of the city that needed more thorough repairs after Yamigedo's assault. This also led to a fair amount of buildings not in use, but still in stable enough condition to be a suitable hiding spot.
After several minutes slowly flying in-between dilapidated buildings, the pair found themselves on the roof of what used to be a shopping mall. The structure was hit a little harder than its neighbors, with a large chunk of the side missing - most likely due to a stray energy blast. Still, it was relatively intact, and out of the way enough to discourage the average pursuer - something that Tasuku was looking for.
Tasuku saw a service entrance, the door old and cracked, but still in good enough condition that he didn't need to apply extra force when he pulled it open.
That opened too smoothly, he thought to himself, sharing a knowing look with his Buddy. Someone's been here
No words were exchanged as the two traveled down the flight of stairs, both recognizing the need for silence. Tasuku thanked whatever force there was that the stairs were stone and not wood. The element of surprise was still on their side, yet despite that, Tasuku found himself more off guard when he reached the bottom, the passage opening up into a larger, sparsely furnished room. At first glance, he wouldn't have thought it the place for a hideout, until he saw a woman sitting on a lone crate box.
From the descriptions he'd been given, Tasuku could see that Morganna had seen better days. Her dress had several tears on the bottom, and the armor protecting her torso had more than a few dents in it. What was once meticulously groomed hair had become frazzled, its luster lost from the pursuit.
"Morganna?" Tasuku asked carefully.
The woman's had snapped up, her eyes wide with fear until they focused on the boy. "Who are... wait, I know you. You're Tasuku Ryuenji, aren't you?"
Tasuku nodded. "We heard your distress call back at HQ. We figured you could use a little backup," he explained.
"That's...wonderful," she said carefully. "Forgive me, I'm still a little shaken. I was expecting...someone else."
"Gao and Drum right?" asked Tasuku. "They got the message too, but we thought it best to split up and cover more ground. Now that we've found you, we'll meet up with them at HQ."
Moganna relaxed considerably, and Tasuku couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the behavior.
"Then we'd better not waste any time, I know for a fact that I was followed," said the sorceress. "If you found me this easy, it won't be long until my pursuer locates us."
Tasuku nodded and took out his radio, "We'll just have to make it quick. I'll make the call and we'll-"
"Tasuku!" Jack yelled and grabbed onto his Buddy's collar, saving him from a swiping hand. It didn't save his radio, and the outstretched hand grabbed it from the Buddycop, crushing it effortlessly. His instincts kicking in, Tasuku back stepped quickly, gaining some distance between him and his assailant.
Getting a better look, Tasuku was almost surprised to see a girl standing in front of him. Two bangs of amber hair framed her face, as well as the small scowl that she wore. Her skin was slightly darker than normal, an oddity in Japan with its more temperate zones. It was easy to see why too; she wore a sleeveless, black shirt and a pair of shorts that seemed more for mobility than comfort. Even at a glance, Tasuku could see the runner's build she carried, legs tense and ready to charge in for another strike. Her fists tightened, fingerless gloves creaking just loud enough to be heard.
"I'm guessing this is whose been after you?" Tasuku asked, keeping his eyes trained on the newcomer.
"Yes, for days now," Morganna answered. "She calls herself Muichi, and she's absolutely ruthless. You must not let her succeed!"
"Don't worry. We'll be sure to keep you safe," Tasuku reassured her before training his eyes on the rogue fighter. "You have a lot to answer for, Muichi. In the name of the Buddypolice, we've come to bring you to justice!"
The girl stopped short, and stared intensely at Tasuku. "You..." she rasped. "You're with the police...?"
"That's right," the boy confirmed. "I am Tasuku Ryuenji, leader of the Buddypolice youth division!"
The air stilled, and Tasuku could feel a tension thicken around them. The girl seemed to be in shock, having frozen stock still after his declaration.
Right in front of the door, he groused to himself. Jack had crouched, ready to lend his aid in anyway he could, while Morganna stood a few paces back, seemingly less scared than one would be in a hostage situation.
But all that was pushed to the wayside when a massive rush of energy billowed out from the girl, her eyes wide with fury as she glared at him.
On the other side of town, Gao and Drum were still busy trying to find Morganna. Despite Drum's Decker Nose working overtime, they were unable to catch even a whiff of the sorceress. It didn't help that there was a large fair happening, and Drum kept getting distracted by the various foods stands around every corner. By the time the sun started to sink in the sky, the poor armordragon was practically drooling from hunger.
"Where in the world is that lady!?" Drum wailed. "She could've left us a note in the video, save us the trouble! It's like she doesn't even wanna be found!"
Gao knew his Buddy was at his limit, and held up a small plate of takoyaki he'd snagged from one of the vendors. "We shouldn't think about what we can't change, only what we can." The treat was snagged from him the moment he finished his sentence, Drum hungrily gobbling up the snack. "You've earned a break, but we need to keep searching as much as possible."
"Alright, but if I can't find her in the next hour, I'm-" Drum stopped, and sniffed the air deeply. He shuddered as he took in a surprisingly strong scent, dropping the empty plate with a clatter.
"What's wrong, Drum?" asked Gao, taking immediate note of his Buddy's stiffened posture. Anything that could shock Drum out of his food-induced euphoria had to be big.
"I think I smell whoever's chasing her..."
"Wait, really!?" Gao exclaimed, though any excitement he had died when he saw how jittery Drum was. "What do they smell like?"
Drum shivered again as he took another breath, and looked at Gao, a haunted look in his eyes. "Hate."
It was supposed to be simple.
With the Buddypolice distracted, Gao and Drum would be sent out to find Morganna. With the knights guarding the area from above, she would corner the child and his Buddy, then retrieve all three of them and return to the lair.
Muichi still held a contempt for the word, but she had no better one to use. Still, as she descended the staircase, quiet as a church mouse, she couldn't help but think something was off. According to her master, Gao was a loud child, one who would be found by sound alone. So it was odd that it took the motion spells cast around the perimeter tripping before she heard anything from the building. The downside of having the knights mask the building's presence was that it stopped her from using the viewing orb to scope the area. She bit her lip as she reached the bottom, a bright blue the first thing she saw.
Something was wrong, this wasn't the target. Still, she had a duty to prevent Morganna from being moved, or capture any intruder of interest. Her entire body tensed when she saw two figures - a boy and a small dragon - in front of Morganna, and she darted forward just as the boy took out a radio, arm outstretched to snag the device.
A cry rang out and the boy sidestepped enough to avoid her hand, but let the radio fall in the process. Muichi snatched it and crushed the black box in her hand, her gloves stopping any of the device cut her skin. She faced him, eyes steeled with determination, and waited for him to finish talking with Morganna. All the while, warning bells rang in her head.
This is the wrong boy... she thought. _This isn't Gao Mikado. This is... _
"Tasuku...?" Muichi's eyes widened, comprehension dawning. She was well aware of that name, and the way he introduced himself dredged up an old memory. "Tasuku Ryuenji..." she mumbled again, her posture becoming stiff.
She hadn't let herself remember times before she joined her new group, but sometimes her head ached with a memory just out of reach. This time, it was strong - too strong - and she couldn't stop her subconscious from somehow connecting unseen dots.
Images passed by in her mind, memories she'd thought forgotten, but still rang clear as day...
It had been another arduous day at Sengoku. Their training regimen to nurture the best Buddyfighters had Muichi wiped, and the girl slumped to the floor once she reached her dorm room. It was an odd sort of exhaustion, on that left her grinning, even as she felt her legs buckle under her from standing so long. The days at the school were long, and alway a fight for dominance, but she had found herself enjoying the daily grind of fighting her way to the top. She may not have always won, but it gave her something to strive for, and she relished the challenge of overcoming those obstacles.
A loud sigh disrupted her musings, and she turned to find her friend, Makoto, crawling in from her window. An action that would be curious by normal means, but was mostly notable since Muichi's room was on the second story. Nevertheless, Muichi was content to watch her friend slump over the window frame.
"What? Not gonna help me up?" he asked, slightly out of breath.
"Well, you got up there just fine," she retorted with a smirk.
The boy rolled his eyes and pushed himself the rest of the way in, tucking his head in and doing a forward roll onto the floor. He came to an ungraceful halt up against the lone table in the room, splayed on his back with his legs in the air.
"Ladies and gentlemen, one of the top students in Sengoku's starting division," Muichi quipped, too tired to do more than grin at the boy's expense.
"Oh, hah hah. And look at the 'fearsome' Infernal Hell Fighter," Makoto snarked back, still laying on the floor. "Can't even stand up after a measly 6 hours of Buddyfighting!"
"Six and a half!" Muichi corrected. "Not my fault I played against a freaking stall deck before lunch. Couldn't even enjoy my food, I was so pissed off."
"Yeah, blame the other fighter for you having a one trick fighting style," Makoto drawled. "Seriously, you have all the subtlety of a charging rhino."
"Oh, shut up," Muichi huffed. "Why'd you even come here anyway? There's gotta be some tree you haven't attempted to turn into kendo practice yet."
"I'm here to help you," he said, letting his legs fall to the floor with a thump. "Your fighting style's getting too predictable. It's the main reason why that girl chose a stall deck against you." He grunted as he sat himself up, picking himself up off the floor. "You're gonna need to adjust to a slightly different strategy."
"Since when did you become an analyst?"
"Since I started taking extra lessons this year," he replied. "Dad was harping on me to take an extracurricular, so I thought it'd be the most useful."
"That explains why you wanted to reschedule our weekly sparring sessions," noted Muichi. "So are you any good at it, or did you just wanna read old fight records?"
"It's been worth it, trust me. Fight me and I'll show you!" He grinned and brought out his deck, already setting up the game mat. "I wanna see you go all out, maybe even give you some pointers."
"Oh, great, more Buddyfighting," she bemoaned, but wore a smirk all the same as she looked down at the boy's field. The paper mat was a weathered one, showing its use from how often it had been folded and refolded, but it served its purpose just fine.
Muichi smirked and brought out her own, but stopped when she noticed her tv was still on. A scene from a Buddyfight was replaying on the small screen, and the girl snorted when she recognized what was being broadcast.
"Hey, get a load of this," she gestured to her friend, smirking patronizingly. "Ol' Boy Wonder's done it again."
The broadcast showed Tasuku Ryuenji apprehension of another criminal Buddyfighter, smiling for the aerial camera while a replay of the match was shown on a smaller screen. Muichi groaned as she watched the boy answer more questions, each one with a more corny response than the last.
"Never did get why so many people like him," Makoto said as he watched Tasuku bring his signature Gargantua Punisher card down on the criminal, ending the match. "I could handle that sword just as well as he can."
"I'm sure," Muichi snorted. "You know that's not even an item, right? It's just a huge impact. And a cheap one, if you ask me," she huffed, folding her arms over her chest.
"You need to learn to appreciate strategy," the boy replied. "It may be cheap, but it gets the job done."
"Only you would manage to defend a sword, Ken," she teased, using his nickname. The boy had an affinity for swords, so it only seemed fit to make his nickname a pun. "You could be steaming mad at your old man, but if he gave you an actual sword to play with, you'd turn to putty."
"First of all, that's happened before, and I did not cave," Makoto said with all the dignity he could muster. Muichi grinned and raised an eyebrow. Makoto faltered. "Okay, fine, I caved a little," he amended, "but you would too if you got to practice with an actual blade!"
"Yeah, and he only had to bribe you with it so you'd do your chores."
"Hey, if that's all it takes for some blade practice, I'll live with being a grease monkey for a weekend or two!"
The two shared a quick laugh before setting up their game, the televised fight filling the air.
Makoto was about to call "Raise the Flag!" but Muichi's distracted look stopped him short. "Muichi?" he asked. "Something wrong?"
Muichi shook her head, running her hand through her hair. "It's nothing. I just...had a thought."
"Well, out with it then," he urged. "I don't wanna fight you with your head in the clouds. You'd just get all ticked off when I end up winning."
Muichi huffed indigently, but relented. "Alright, fine. I was wondering what it'd be like going up against him." She gestured to the tv, where Tasuku was smiling after giving an interview.
"Go against Tasuku?" Makoto clarified. "Well, it'd be short. He'd wipe the floor with you in a minute."
"I meant what it'd be like going up against the police," she asserted crossly, though the fire behind her left as she continued. "If you managed to beat him...would you go free? Would the Buddypolice Barrier..."
"Damn, that's still such a mouthful," Makoto interrupted, and Muichi couldn't help but smile.
"Would it just disappear and let you walk off scott free?" she finished, her grin disappearing.
"Doubt it," Makoto replied. "Those righteous cops are too persistent to let a criminal out of their sights. Probably just send another squad out."
"Makes 'em sound more like hunters than cops," Muichi muttered, her fist slowly clenching.
"Sometimes they gotta act like it, depends on the criminal," Makoto remarked. "Where'd this all come from anyway?"
Muichi flinched and released her fist, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "It's...personal. My home is a little too strict, and I guess this just reminded me is all." She sighed, and set her cards down.
"Must be strict if you're complaining about it while you're in the toughest Buddyfight school in the country," Makoto laughed, trying to diffuse the tension that surrounded his friend.
Muichi shook her head. "It's different. Here, you can Buddyfight your way out of a problem, or to settle an argument. That..." she turned to the tv again, though now the picture of a news anchor dominated the screen. "Feels more like a circus show. Like they're just playing with him, giving him the idea that there's something he can do about his fate..." She trailed off, trembling slightly, leaving the sound of the tv to fill the room.
"Something tells me you're not talking about the police," Makoto said, breaking the semi-silence.
"I'd really rather not talk about it," Muichi said, exhaustion in her voice now. "It's just... sometimes I wonder if there's a point to even trying at all."
"Hey," Makoto said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about those things right now. It's not like you're planning to become a criminal, right? Besides, as long as we're a team, nothing can beat us. We just gotta stick together, help each other out and all that."
Muichi managed a smile. It was hard not to with how much hope the boy had in his voice. It was almost infectious. "Yeah, together... just like we've been doing. Together, we're invincible."
She turned back to watch the tv, mentally preparing herself for the Buddycop's speech about lawfulness and the like... but the scenery had changed...
A darkened alley came into focus, the sky dreary and overcast. Muichi shivered and hugged herself, now acutely aware that her attire was different. It was something for summer, not designed to keep away the frigid chill that now surrounded her. But the real reason she was shivering wasn't the cold.
A horde of officers surrounded her, faces indistinguishable from each other, all slowly advancing on her.
She was 16 years old, lost and alone, with nothing to look forward to but a cold prison cell. She felt her body tremble, any and all fire in her from her time as the Infernal Hell FIghter now lost in the face of cold reality.
She would end up just like the criminals she saw on tv, gone from the public eye forever once she passed those doors and forgotten to time. Her body tingled as a bizarre warmth ran through her veins. Her eyes narrowed and she felt herself move, her mind was focused on one objective now...
Survive.
A shockwave blew through the room, a torrent of foul, red energy emanating from the girl. Both Tasuku and Jack braced themselves against the sudden gale, watching on in awe at the power the girl possessed.
"What is she doing?!" asked Tasuku. "It almost feels like Disaster Force, but that can't be possible! She doesn't have a Dark Core!"
"Disaster energy or not, she's gathering a lot of it," yelled Jack. "We might've been wrong about Kyoya being involved. Be on your guard!"
Tasuku nodded, planting himself firmly between the girl and Morganna, the sorceress having taken cover behind a large crate. It was a miracle that the unstable building didn't collapse under the energy whipping inside. Eventually, the small storm calmed, leaving the girl standing with raw, red energy surrounding her like an aura.
"You cops are always hunting us, always chasing us down...parading your victories on television for your amusement..." she growled, her eyes alight with fury, and her hands clenched in rage. Her irises were now a sickly yellow and her pupils slitted like a cat's. "This time, it's my turn... I'll hunt you down, and everyone like you!"