Robbie's t-shirt shifts again, and suddenly everything makes sense.
"Racing is a sport, so yes, I do play sports!"
“Hm... troubling lack of hot babes here..."
"Mammals are weird"
"Oi, put those down! Those are mine! Order your own damn crackers!"
Compliments, never!
"HEE HEE HEE HEE YOUR FACE."
"Work with me here, ocean monsters, work with me!"
A cruel, merciless killer - he eats nothing but meat!
"Please make the painsies go away."
"there's sort of a "no corpse" rule."
"I don't know! I'm a delinquent, I'm uncultured!"
"You suck at this, Grandma"
"Are you practising necromancy without a license?"
"Nah, bro, we just got uh... uhhhhh... Hand Tourettes. Yeah. Very unfortunate."
No skull is sexy enough to distract Effie!
"Get these dinosaurs out of my face! I want a giant gorilla instead!"
"Dolby is officially people"
"Right, off to another planet, love to your mom, bye."
She's too illi... ili...she can't read the darn thing.
Rifa is gasping for air, not gasping in surprise, due to gasping too much.
"he's been with me for years now and has learned everything I taught him"
"It'll be much more nice just to eat you and forget about the whole 'arrest' thing."
"Have you chilled blood on tap? I'll pay extra for a lime."
"Well, after the first round of screaming it wasn't so bad."
"YOU are FIZZISHIN."
Granny Sine
"I'll go in there wearing a bikini and show 'em some fanservice"
"That- I- gggggg! You can't just- I mean it's not- That's not an easy question! I can't just- hrrrgh!"
"If you need things killed instead of kissed, feel free to come back, then?"
...Is it 5,000? I lost count at 16.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017
April 2017 RP Ticker Quote Archive
"God damn, you're right. We were so busy making nerd noises we forgot that sometimes we're going to have to go outside or get wet."
"We already have a shitload of girls and boys, anyway, so what’s one more to the pile?"
In short, it was pretty shit. But the Gorillaz and Stephen needed a place to stay
Gloria blushed and looked sternly at Rachel - but did not cease her wiggling.
"When you wish upon a star
I go off to drink at bars
Blinded by your false desires
It makes me speeew
Iiiif you haven't got a means"
"What happened to the sensible slacks and blouse? You look like the cover of a bad gothic romance novel."
“Be careful you don’t fall off!” Toinette fell off.
There were things Ruukoto knew, and things she didn't know. She wasn't sure where a random ranting man staggering up the beach fit into that binary
"Please, if it's food I'm after, I'd want characters more fleshed out than half the people there!"
"Wait. Dinner? What are you going to do?"
Ignoring the silly
Paradise at Ponderosa’s
"We already have a shitload of girls and boys, anyway, so what’s one more to the pile?"
In short, it was pretty shit. But the Gorillaz and Stephen needed a place to stay
Gloria blushed and looked sternly at Rachel - but did not cease her wiggling.
"When you wish upon a star
I go off to drink at bars
Blinded by your false desires
It makes me speeew
Iiiif you haven't got a means"
"What happened to the sensible slacks and blouse? You look like the cover of a bad gothic romance novel."
“Be careful you don’t fall off!” Toinette fell off.
There were things Ruukoto knew, and things she didn't know. She wasn't sure where a random ranting man staggering up the beach fit into that binary
"Please, if it's food I'm after, I'd want characters more fleshed out than half the people there!"
"Wait. Dinner? What are you going to do?"
Ignoring the silly
Paradise at Ponderosa’s
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Kamen Rider Hime Vol 13
That evening, Parsee stands on top of Satori Tower, enjoying the ebb and flow of jealousy through the city like a light breeze. She watches people walking by and cars zipping about, wondering what each person is envious for. Satori emerges and asks if Parsee is almost ready to go face the Queen. Parsees answers that she needs to get something from home first but otherwise yes. Satori then asks how Parsee plans to deal with the other Sins. Parsee shrugs and says she will probably just beat them up, but Satori admonishes her. Even if she's a Sin too, they still outnumber her four to one. Parsee rubs her chib, noting the legitimacy of that concern. Satori says that, fortunately, SHE at least is smart enough to consider these things. She returns inside, telling Parsee to be ready within the hour.
Satori walks downstairs to speak with Xavier. She asks if he has any way to contact the Queen. Xavier confirms that he can speak to her mentally if need be, which Satori tells him to do. Skeptical but willing, Xavier agrees and begins reaching out to the Queen. The moment a connection is made, Satori grabs Xavier by the neck.
"Gluttony, it shouldn't have taken you this long to dispose of a body. I should have just told you to eat her," the Queen growls.
"I'm sorry, but your Gluttony won't be eating anything again, Cassandra," Satori says, letting some smugness slip into her voice.
The Queen goes silent with shock. Anybody who knew THAT name should be dead or her servant. It doesn't take her long to realize who she's speaking to.
"ELISE?!"
Satori laughs. "Indeed. I've been hiding under your nose this entire time. It'd be hard to do considering how short you've always been, but your nose always was stuck up in the clouds, wasn't it? Anyway, I don't appreciate you killing my Kamen Rider, so I've decided to eliminate your Gluttony in exchange. Good bye."
Xavier's eyes bulge as Satori powers up a spell, trying to plead with her, but she refuses to listen as she sends a bright shaft of light through the Sin and...he is quite confused to find himself still alive. He asks for an explanation and Satori gives him one: she'd been researching a way to break the effects of the ritual and just used it. The Queen would no longer be able to track him and would certainly think he died. Xavier asks what the purpose is. Satori smiles and explains that he's now bait to draw the Sins away from their master. She then presents him with his armor, repainted to resemble Kamen Rider Pluto's colors. Satori explains that she has given Xavier his free will back...and that as he is still a Sage-in-training, he is now officially her apprentice.
As Xavier puts his armor on and practices with his sword, Satori heads downstairs to see her daughters putting on Riot Cop uniforms. Okuu explains that she and Orin want to help fight the Sins too even if they don't have super powers. Satori smiles and says she is proud of her daughters for standing up to evil, but then says they aren't going out in such meager protection. Orin stands up, getting caught in her half-donned armor and protests until Satori reaches behind her back, pulling out two Henshin Devices. She has negotiated a settlement with the recovering Amaterasu: it will lend them its power in the devices and continue to provide the city with power and in exchange Satori would encourage the citizens of Bridge City to say "Praise the sun!" in its honor or at least try to sneak the phrase into the city's vernacular so it would feel appreciated.
Back at Pandora, the Queen is busy ranting and raving at her remaining knights, demanding answers as to why none of them had any idea the her biggest rival was still alive and living right under their noses for so long. Wisely, none of them mention that the Queen couldn't detect Elise either. She paces back and forth, dark clouds forming above her head as she continues to lecture. Abruptly, she stops and turns.
"I know where Gluttony was when Elise killed him. Go there and kill her."
Pride protests sending all four of them, citing that if they are all gone, then who will protect her. She brushes aside his concern and commands them to go immediately. Reluctantly, all four leave the throne room and head to the portal to Bridge City. The moment they exit the portal, they see a large motorcycle approaching them.
"TURBO GRANNY RIDES FOR HER LIFE"
Palanquin Cycle, ridden by Kamen Rider Hime, plows through the assembled knights, scattering them on the ground as it drives into the portal. They scramble to their feet, but a massive heat ray scorches a line in the street as a green-and-white Kamen Rider interposes herself between the Sins and the portal.
"Kamen Rider Sol stands in your path!" she shouts, spreading black-armored wings.
"And Kamen Rider Pluto stands with her!" her sister shouts, also jumping in the way.
Xavier, clad in his own armor, stands with them. "I don't have anything cool to say, so I'll just ask you to stand down, my friends, before we do something we all regret."
Sloth, Lust, and Greed look hesitant to attack until Pride steps forward, loudly denouncing Gluttony as a traitor to the Queen of Sin. Xavier simply smiles and states that that is no longer his name, he was returned to being Xavier, just like Pride should go back to being his friend Alvin. Pride pauses for a moment, processing the idea, but ends up announcing the name means nothing to him now. Sadly, Xavier raises his sword and announces he won't let anyone reenter the portal.
Back at Pandora, Palanquin Cycle tears through the hallways, nobody to get in the way aside from zombie workers who either are in the way and are moved or weren't in the way to begin with as Kamen Rider Hime cruises towards the throne room.
The Queen is busy being bored and waiting for her knights to return when the doors to her throne room burst open.
"Excuse me, can Cassie come out and play?" Kamen Rider Hime says, revving her engine.
The Queen scowls and floats up from her throne, demanding to know who dares to burst into her chambers. Kamen Rider Hime stands up on Palaquin Cycle and bows, introducing herself as Envy, pleasure to make her acquaintance. The Queen clenches her teeth; the Rider is supposed to be dead. Hime laughs and remarks that she had Xavier wrapped around her finger; he intentionally avoided killing her. The Queen rages and hurls massive fireballs at Hime, who revs her cycle and begins riding on the walls, staying one step ahead of the Queen's blasts.
As Palanquin Cycle tears up the walls, Kamen Rider Hime leaps off, punches the Queen in the jaw, and then lands on her bike on the opposite side of the room, repeating this attack several times while taunting "Cassie" about how easy this fight has been so far. The walls suddenly erupt in bolts of lightning, knocking the Rider and her ride to the ground. The Queen cackles and asks what it just was that Hime was saying.
"I said, do you know any spells you haven't stolen from people smarter than you?" Kamen Rider Hime laughs as she gets up and throws an energy blast at the Queen.
The Queen deflects the blast easily and casts another spell, making spears of ice burst from the floor around Kamen Rider Hime. The Rider dodges as quickly as she can, narrowly avoiding all but one spike. She wipes her brow and uses the spikes as springboards, leaping off of them to deliver a kick to the Queen's chest. Hime follows up with one of her spell cards, raining flurries of energy upon the Queen.
"Something the matter, Cassie? I thought you WANTED me to become an Envy!" Kamen Rider Hime taunts.
"I wanted a loyal soldier, not a goofball on a motorcycle!" the Queen retorts, blasting Hime.
The Rider hits the ground...laughing. "You don't have any loyal soldiers now, why should I have been the first?"
"ALL of my Sins are completely loyal to me!" the Queen bellows.
"The original Envy wasn't. Gluttony wasn't. The rest would abandon you in a heartbeat without that spell on them," Hime counters defiantly. "In fact, the first thing I do once you're done for is get the last bit of that curse removed."
"NEVER!"
The room begins to quake as the Queen tries to bring the castle down around them. Chunks of ceiling fall from the sky, forcing Kamen Rider Hime to jump back on her Ride Machine to avoid being crushed. She begins wall riding again, going as quickly as she can to avoid chunks of debris that are being thrown at her. When a huge hole opens up in front of her, Hime leaps into the air, grabbing Palanquin Cycle and swinging it like a large club at the Queen, who manifests a long staff and blocks Hime's strike. The Queen parries and thrusts, breaking Hime's grip on her improvised weapon and then clubbing her in the face.
"Maybe now you'll shut up. I can't hear myself think around you!" the Queen says.
"I thought you'd welcome the chance to finally have something go through that empty head of yours," Hime counters. "LIKE MY FIST!"
A sickening CRACK rings through the chamber as Kamen Rider Hime lets the Queen have a taste of her Paru Paru Punch, leaving a dark charred circle in the middle of the Queen's face. Beautifying treatments like that normally cost thousands, Hime notes, but she'll do this one for free. The Queen sputters and rushes forward with her staff. Hime pulls a shield from behind her back and blocks the staff.
"Elise suggested I bring a sword, but I told her I didn't need it just for you, Cassandra," Kamen Rider Hime taunts.
The Queen of Sin howls and swings the staff like a berserker, pushing Kamen Rider Hime against the wall. Hime continues to block, but she is being pushed back hard enough to cause the wall to slowly crumble behind her.
Back in Bridge City, the Sins continue to fight viciously. Kamen Rider Sol is getting a rematch with Sloth and Lust, using massive heat blasts to keep them from coordinating their attacks and clubbing them with a huge cement boot when they get too close. Kamen Rider Pluto is much lighter on her feet than an injured Parsee and uses speed to keep Greed from landing a solid hit on her. Meanwhile, Xavier and Pride cross swords, sending sparks flying each time their blades hit. Pride angrily demands to know why Gluttony has betrayed the Sins and Xavier answers that he never owed Cassandra his loyalty to begin, none of them do after she enslaved them to her will. Xavier asks Pride to remember the days when he was Alvin, an intelligent man who was never afraid to boast of his accomplishments because he had the talent and intelligence to back up his claims. Xavier also asks his friend and enemy to remember when he also took pride in the accomplishments of others who worked hard to achieve things, whether Alvin had helped or not.
Pride falters for a moment, long enough for Xavier to tear off his helmet and look him right in the eye. Xavier pleads for Pride to remember his hopes and dreams, his plans to help build nations that came crashing down because they were all fooled by Cassandra into participating in that stupid ritual. Xavier throws down his sword and grabs Pride's shoulders, asking him to not be too proud to admit they've all been wrong these many centuries. Pride begins to falter, but his eyes harden, showing his resolve, to which Xavier rolls his eyes and headbutts Pride, knocking him out.
"Eh...Elise can sort him out later," Xavier remarks and grabs his sword.
Back in Pandora, Kamen Rider Hime and the Queen continue to tear the throne room apart with their duel. The roof and walls have mostly collapsed Neither woman is looking too good at the moment: the Queen is bloodied and bruised while numerous gaps have appeared in Hime's armor. The two pause for a moment to glare at each other, panting and gasping.
"Why won't you die? You were never this powerful the last time you were here," the Queen snarls.
Kamen Rider Hime crosses her arms and smiles. "It's all thanks to you, Cassandra. The one Sin you never needed was Envy because you have so much in the pit where your heart should be. You have so much Envy inside, over people being smarter than you, being more talented than you, getting more privileges than you. And Elise...wow...so much there! Is it because she's taller than you? Prettier than you? More popular than you? All of the above? All that and more, I imagine. And because of that, it doesn't matter how long we fight here for: you can never kill me because you give me strength!"
Kamen Rider Hime assumes a fighting stance as she continues speaking.
"Jealously guarding the bridge between life and death...
The envy of all hearts that yearn for justice...
When my gaze descends upon you, victory is mine...
I am the green-eyed defender of justice...
KAMEN RIDER HIME!"
Kamen Rider Hime charges forward as the Queen fires bolt after bolt of lighting. The Rider ignores the bolts, shrugging off their force as she delivers a crushing blow to the Queen, punching through her staff and into her face. Hime dances around the Queen's clumsy staff blows and endures flames, ice, and more as she continues to deliver a brutal flurry of blows, sending the Queen into the air with a fierce uppercut.
Bleeding and gasping, the Queen begins gathering her powers.
"Defender of justice? I spit on you! I am the Queen of Sin, the founder of evil in this world! You may THINK you know Sin, but I command it, bend it to my will! Now taste true Original Sin...
AND DIE, YOU USELESS WHELP!"
Kamen Rider Hime leaps up to deliver a finishing blow to the Queen, but it's too late as a dark, swirling blast erupts from the Queen's palms. The blast is immense, blasting through several floor of Pandora as the Queen maintains it, wanting once and for all to be rid of Kamen Rider Hime. The blast dissipates and, lying in a crater, lay the Rider. The Queen cackles and boasts that this outcome was inevitable as the body of Hime....disappears. Simply vanishes. All expect her helmet.
The Queen gapes, not quite expecting THAT. A clearing throat from above draw her attention.
Parsee, without her helmet, is grinning on the ceiling, admonishing Cassandra for killing a poor, helpless clone before powering up an attack and leaping towards her foe with a resounding...
"STARS...
ABOVE...
KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK"
The Queen screams and tries to throw up a magical barrier, but the concentrated magical force in the Rider Kick easily overcomes any attempt at deflecting it. Parsee, glaring with all the hatred in her heart, and Cassandra, overcome with fear for the first time in centuries, look each other in the eye as they plunge into the crater the blast earlier made until they hit the bottom. Defeated, the Queen explodes, shaking the foundations of Pandora, bringing the once-proud institution crumbling around them...
In Bridge City, the portal to Pandora begins to waver and the Sins simultaneously convulse as their connection to their mistress is broken. Kamen Riders Sol and Pluto look at each other and stick their heads in the portal. They immediately leap back out, Pluto remarking that whatever's on the other side is falling apart! Xavier begins to run into the portal, but both riders hold him back, telling him it's a death sentence to go in there. Xavier asks them what will happen to Hime then? Neither sister has an answer.
Back in Pandora, Parsee manages to pull herself out of the pit with one arm, the other having been crushed by falling debris. She looks about her situation and groans, knowing she's too injured to run to safety and too tired to fly.
Palanquin Cycle picks that moment to pull up next to her, the Rider swearing she can hear her mother saying she'll guide her to safety. With no time to argue with her hallucinations, Parsee climbs on, revs the engine, and Rides...
A month later...
The convenience store has reopened! Xavier is busy working the counter, helping the Shine Maidens and asking them not to cause too much trouble while Alvin is busy muttering and mopping the floor. Xavier teases his friend and tells him to put some pride into his work. Alvin looks up and tells Xavier to stop sneaking backs on gum while on the job. The two manage to have a chuckle and Alvin remarks how it seems like so long ago when they were trying to destroy the city and now they were back to being apprentice sages. Xavier laughs nervously and agrees at how odd it feels.
Xavier sighs and says he wishes Parsee were there with them.
Unfortunately for him, she picks that moment to appear. Store manager Parsee tells them they can chitchat when the floor is clean and she WILL be docking Xavier's pay if he keeps sneaking snacks. She claps her hands, telling them she expects things to be in tip-top shape when Julie (Lust) and Percival (Sloth) come in for their shift and they can have their turn at Sage School with Satori.
Then an explosion comes from outside and the Kappa Mob's van drives by. Parsee sighs and mutters something about Riders Gonna Ride and goes back into her office. A minute later, Kamen Rider Hime on a new Envy Driver zips by the store.
The final panel shows Kamen Rider Hime kicking a Grim Reaper, Ni's new moll, in the chest while the Kappas lay on the ground with large lumps on their heads.
THE END....?
Satori walks downstairs to speak with Xavier. She asks if he has any way to contact the Queen. Xavier confirms that he can speak to her mentally if need be, which Satori tells him to do. Skeptical but willing, Xavier agrees and begins reaching out to the Queen. The moment a connection is made, Satori grabs Xavier by the neck.
"Gluttony, it shouldn't have taken you this long to dispose of a body. I should have just told you to eat her," the Queen growls.
"I'm sorry, but your Gluttony won't be eating anything again, Cassandra," Satori says, letting some smugness slip into her voice.
The Queen goes silent with shock. Anybody who knew THAT name should be dead or her servant. It doesn't take her long to realize who she's speaking to.
"ELISE?!"
Satori laughs. "Indeed. I've been hiding under your nose this entire time. It'd be hard to do considering how short you've always been, but your nose always was stuck up in the clouds, wasn't it? Anyway, I don't appreciate you killing my Kamen Rider, so I've decided to eliminate your Gluttony in exchange. Good bye."
Xavier's eyes bulge as Satori powers up a spell, trying to plead with her, but she refuses to listen as she sends a bright shaft of light through the Sin and...he is quite confused to find himself still alive. He asks for an explanation and Satori gives him one: she'd been researching a way to break the effects of the ritual and just used it. The Queen would no longer be able to track him and would certainly think he died. Xavier asks what the purpose is. Satori smiles and explains that he's now bait to draw the Sins away from their master. She then presents him with his armor, repainted to resemble Kamen Rider Pluto's colors. Satori explains that she has given Xavier his free will back...and that as he is still a Sage-in-training, he is now officially her apprentice.
As Xavier puts his armor on and practices with his sword, Satori heads downstairs to see her daughters putting on Riot Cop uniforms. Okuu explains that she and Orin want to help fight the Sins too even if they don't have super powers. Satori smiles and says she is proud of her daughters for standing up to evil, but then says they aren't going out in such meager protection. Orin stands up, getting caught in her half-donned armor and protests until Satori reaches behind her back, pulling out two Henshin Devices. She has negotiated a settlement with the recovering Amaterasu: it will lend them its power in the devices and continue to provide the city with power and in exchange Satori would encourage the citizens of Bridge City to say "Praise the sun!" in its honor or at least try to sneak the phrase into the city's vernacular so it would feel appreciated.
Back at Pandora, the Queen is busy ranting and raving at her remaining knights, demanding answers as to why none of them had any idea the her biggest rival was still alive and living right under their noses for so long. Wisely, none of them mention that the Queen couldn't detect Elise either. She paces back and forth, dark clouds forming above her head as she continues to lecture. Abruptly, she stops and turns.
"I know where Gluttony was when Elise killed him. Go there and kill her."
Pride protests sending all four of them, citing that if they are all gone, then who will protect her. She brushes aside his concern and commands them to go immediately. Reluctantly, all four leave the throne room and head to the portal to Bridge City. The moment they exit the portal, they see a large motorcycle approaching them.
"TURBO GRANNY RIDES FOR HER LIFE"
Palanquin Cycle, ridden by Kamen Rider Hime, plows through the assembled knights, scattering them on the ground as it drives into the portal. They scramble to their feet, but a massive heat ray scorches a line in the street as a green-and-white Kamen Rider interposes herself between the Sins and the portal.
"Kamen Rider Sol stands in your path!" she shouts, spreading black-armored wings.
"And Kamen Rider Pluto stands with her!" her sister shouts, also jumping in the way.
Xavier, clad in his own armor, stands with them. "I don't have anything cool to say, so I'll just ask you to stand down, my friends, before we do something we all regret."
Sloth, Lust, and Greed look hesitant to attack until Pride steps forward, loudly denouncing Gluttony as a traitor to the Queen of Sin. Xavier simply smiles and states that that is no longer his name, he was returned to being Xavier, just like Pride should go back to being his friend Alvin. Pride pauses for a moment, processing the idea, but ends up announcing the name means nothing to him now. Sadly, Xavier raises his sword and announces he won't let anyone reenter the portal.
Back at Pandora, Palanquin Cycle tears through the hallways, nobody to get in the way aside from zombie workers who either are in the way and are moved or weren't in the way to begin with as Kamen Rider Hime cruises towards the throne room.
The Queen is busy being bored and waiting for her knights to return when the doors to her throne room burst open.
"Excuse me, can Cassie come out and play?" Kamen Rider Hime says, revving her engine.
The Queen scowls and floats up from her throne, demanding to know who dares to burst into her chambers. Kamen Rider Hime stands up on Palaquin Cycle and bows, introducing herself as Envy, pleasure to make her acquaintance. The Queen clenches her teeth; the Rider is supposed to be dead. Hime laughs and remarks that she had Xavier wrapped around her finger; he intentionally avoided killing her. The Queen rages and hurls massive fireballs at Hime, who revs her cycle and begins riding on the walls, staying one step ahead of the Queen's blasts.
As Palanquin Cycle tears up the walls, Kamen Rider Hime leaps off, punches the Queen in the jaw, and then lands on her bike on the opposite side of the room, repeating this attack several times while taunting "Cassie" about how easy this fight has been so far. The walls suddenly erupt in bolts of lightning, knocking the Rider and her ride to the ground. The Queen cackles and asks what it just was that Hime was saying.
"I said, do you know any spells you haven't stolen from people smarter than you?" Kamen Rider Hime laughs as she gets up and throws an energy blast at the Queen.
The Queen deflects the blast easily and casts another spell, making spears of ice burst from the floor around Kamen Rider Hime. The Rider dodges as quickly as she can, narrowly avoiding all but one spike. She wipes her brow and uses the spikes as springboards, leaping off of them to deliver a kick to the Queen's chest. Hime follows up with one of her spell cards, raining flurries of energy upon the Queen.
"Something the matter, Cassie? I thought you WANTED me to become an Envy!" Kamen Rider Hime taunts.
"I wanted a loyal soldier, not a goofball on a motorcycle!" the Queen retorts, blasting Hime.
The Rider hits the ground...laughing. "You don't have any loyal soldiers now, why should I have been the first?"
"ALL of my Sins are completely loyal to me!" the Queen bellows.
"The original Envy wasn't. Gluttony wasn't. The rest would abandon you in a heartbeat without that spell on them," Hime counters defiantly. "In fact, the first thing I do once you're done for is get the last bit of that curse removed."
"NEVER!"
The room begins to quake as the Queen tries to bring the castle down around them. Chunks of ceiling fall from the sky, forcing Kamen Rider Hime to jump back on her Ride Machine to avoid being crushed. She begins wall riding again, going as quickly as she can to avoid chunks of debris that are being thrown at her. When a huge hole opens up in front of her, Hime leaps into the air, grabbing Palanquin Cycle and swinging it like a large club at the Queen, who manifests a long staff and blocks Hime's strike. The Queen parries and thrusts, breaking Hime's grip on her improvised weapon and then clubbing her in the face.
"Maybe now you'll shut up. I can't hear myself think around you!" the Queen says.
"I thought you'd welcome the chance to finally have something go through that empty head of yours," Hime counters. "LIKE MY FIST!"
A sickening CRACK rings through the chamber as Kamen Rider Hime lets the Queen have a taste of her Paru Paru Punch, leaving a dark charred circle in the middle of the Queen's face. Beautifying treatments like that normally cost thousands, Hime notes, but she'll do this one for free. The Queen sputters and rushes forward with her staff. Hime pulls a shield from behind her back and blocks the staff.
"Elise suggested I bring a sword, but I told her I didn't need it just for you, Cassandra," Kamen Rider Hime taunts.
The Queen of Sin howls and swings the staff like a berserker, pushing Kamen Rider Hime against the wall. Hime continues to block, but she is being pushed back hard enough to cause the wall to slowly crumble behind her.
Back in Bridge City, the Sins continue to fight viciously. Kamen Rider Sol is getting a rematch with Sloth and Lust, using massive heat blasts to keep them from coordinating their attacks and clubbing them with a huge cement boot when they get too close. Kamen Rider Pluto is much lighter on her feet than an injured Parsee and uses speed to keep Greed from landing a solid hit on her. Meanwhile, Xavier and Pride cross swords, sending sparks flying each time their blades hit. Pride angrily demands to know why Gluttony has betrayed the Sins and Xavier answers that he never owed Cassandra his loyalty to begin, none of them do after she enslaved them to her will. Xavier asks Pride to remember the days when he was Alvin, an intelligent man who was never afraid to boast of his accomplishments because he had the talent and intelligence to back up his claims. Xavier also asks his friend and enemy to remember when he also took pride in the accomplishments of others who worked hard to achieve things, whether Alvin had helped or not.
Pride falters for a moment, long enough for Xavier to tear off his helmet and look him right in the eye. Xavier pleads for Pride to remember his hopes and dreams, his plans to help build nations that came crashing down because they were all fooled by Cassandra into participating in that stupid ritual. Xavier throws down his sword and grabs Pride's shoulders, asking him to not be too proud to admit they've all been wrong these many centuries. Pride begins to falter, but his eyes harden, showing his resolve, to which Xavier rolls his eyes and headbutts Pride, knocking him out.
"Eh...Elise can sort him out later," Xavier remarks and grabs his sword.
Back in Pandora, Kamen Rider Hime and the Queen continue to tear the throne room apart with their duel. The roof and walls have mostly collapsed Neither woman is looking too good at the moment: the Queen is bloodied and bruised while numerous gaps have appeared in Hime's armor. The two pause for a moment to glare at each other, panting and gasping.
"Why won't you die? You were never this powerful the last time you were here," the Queen snarls.
Kamen Rider Hime crosses her arms and smiles. "It's all thanks to you, Cassandra. The one Sin you never needed was Envy because you have so much in the pit where your heart should be. You have so much Envy inside, over people being smarter than you, being more talented than you, getting more privileges than you. And Elise...wow...so much there! Is it because she's taller than you? Prettier than you? More popular than you? All of the above? All that and more, I imagine. And because of that, it doesn't matter how long we fight here for: you can never kill me because you give me strength!"
Kamen Rider Hime assumes a fighting stance as she continues speaking.
"Jealously guarding the bridge between life and death...
The envy of all hearts that yearn for justice...
When my gaze descends upon you, victory is mine...
I am the green-eyed defender of justice...
KAMEN RIDER HIME!"
Kamen Rider Hime charges forward as the Queen fires bolt after bolt of lighting. The Rider ignores the bolts, shrugging off their force as she delivers a crushing blow to the Queen, punching through her staff and into her face. Hime dances around the Queen's clumsy staff blows and endures flames, ice, and more as she continues to deliver a brutal flurry of blows, sending the Queen into the air with a fierce uppercut.
Bleeding and gasping, the Queen begins gathering her powers.
"Defender of justice? I spit on you! I am the Queen of Sin, the founder of evil in this world! You may THINK you know Sin, but I command it, bend it to my will! Now taste true Original Sin...
AND DIE, YOU USELESS WHELP!"
Kamen Rider Hime leaps up to deliver a finishing blow to the Queen, but it's too late as a dark, swirling blast erupts from the Queen's palms. The blast is immense, blasting through several floor of Pandora as the Queen maintains it, wanting once and for all to be rid of Kamen Rider Hime. The blast dissipates and, lying in a crater, lay the Rider. The Queen cackles and boasts that this outcome was inevitable as the body of Hime....disappears. Simply vanishes. All expect her helmet.
The Queen gapes, not quite expecting THAT. A clearing throat from above draw her attention.
Parsee, without her helmet, is grinning on the ceiling, admonishing Cassandra for killing a poor, helpless clone before powering up an attack and leaping towards her foe with a resounding...
"STARS...
ABOVE...
KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK"
The Queen screams and tries to throw up a magical barrier, but the concentrated magical force in the Rider Kick easily overcomes any attempt at deflecting it. Parsee, glaring with all the hatred in her heart, and Cassandra, overcome with fear for the first time in centuries, look each other in the eye as they plunge into the crater the blast earlier made until they hit the bottom. Defeated, the Queen explodes, shaking the foundations of Pandora, bringing the once-proud institution crumbling around them...
In Bridge City, the portal to Pandora begins to waver and the Sins simultaneously convulse as their connection to their mistress is broken. Kamen Riders Sol and Pluto look at each other and stick their heads in the portal. They immediately leap back out, Pluto remarking that whatever's on the other side is falling apart! Xavier begins to run into the portal, but both riders hold him back, telling him it's a death sentence to go in there. Xavier asks them what will happen to Hime then? Neither sister has an answer.
Back in Pandora, Parsee manages to pull herself out of the pit with one arm, the other having been crushed by falling debris. She looks about her situation and groans, knowing she's too injured to run to safety and too tired to fly.
Palanquin Cycle picks that moment to pull up next to her, the Rider swearing she can hear her mother saying she'll guide her to safety. With no time to argue with her hallucinations, Parsee climbs on, revs the engine, and Rides...
A month later...
The convenience store has reopened! Xavier is busy working the counter, helping the Shine Maidens and asking them not to cause too much trouble while Alvin is busy muttering and mopping the floor. Xavier teases his friend and tells him to put some pride into his work. Alvin looks up and tells Xavier to stop sneaking backs on gum while on the job. The two manage to have a chuckle and Alvin remarks how it seems like so long ago when they were trying to destroy the city and now they were back to being apprentice sages. Xavier laughs nervously and agrees at how odd it feels.
Xavier sighs and says he wishes Parsee were there with them.
Unfortunately for him, she picks that moment to appear. Store manager Parsee tells them they can chitchat when the floor is clean and she WILL be docking Xavier's pay if he keeps sneaking snacks. She claps her hands, telling them she expects things to be in tip-top shape when Julie (Lust) and Percival (Sloth) come in for their shift and they can have their turn at Sage School with Satori.
Then an explosion comes from outside and the Kappa Mob's van drives by. Parsee sighs and mutters something about Riders Gonna Ride and goes back into her office. A minute later, Kamen Rider Hime on a new Envy Driver zips by the store.
The final panel shows Kamen Rider Hime kicking a Grim Reaper, Ni's new moll, in the chest while the Kappas lay on the ground with large lumps on their heads.
THE END....?
Friday, April 28, 2017
Kamen RIder Hime Vol 12
Xavier fidgets. He's alone in a room with his old friend Elise, now known as Satori, and he can feel her mental fingers reaching into his head, trying to pluck out all of his secrets. A lifetime of hiding his thoughts makes it difficult for her though and this duel has been going on for well over an hour after Parsee was taken to surgery. The real challenge though is who will break first and actually say something.
The silence is broken when Parsee enters the room with a large bandage across her torso and yells out for them to just kiss already. Xavier and Satori turn to glare, only to have Parsee glaring back at them. Parsee shakes her head and asks the big question: "What now?"
Xavier states that without any good candidates for Sins in Bridge City, the Queen will move on to another city to terrorize until she has a full group of knights so she can begin actively trying to take over the world. Parsee clenches her teeth while Satori looks unconcerned, almost bored. Parsee calls her out on this but Satori answers that as long as she's not in Bridge City, Satori doesn't care. Xavier remarks that Satori has changed since the days she was called Elise, but Satori says the same thing about Xavier.
Suddenly, Satori finds herself being glared at by someone else: Okuu. The Hell Raven calmly asks why Satori is so eager to defer yet another big issue, casually strumming on her chest for emphasis. Mother and daughter hold each other's gaze for moments before Satori flinches and asks if Parsee has a plan.
Of course Parsee does: go back to their castle school and start punching people!
Even Okuu is appalled by that plan. Satori asks how Parsee plans to do that without powers.
Now Parsee is appalled too.
Xavier speaks up with an idea of how to get Parsee's powers back: since she was born with them, they'll recharge in a few years! Parsee says that the Queen will be long gone by then. Xavier then suggests something more drastic: turn Parsee into a new Envy.
Parsee immediately gets in Xavier's face, shaking her fist and growling that she just avoided that happening. Xavier tips his seat over trying to back up and explains: the ritual does bind the subject to the caster, which is why Parsee would need to perform the ritual on herself, making her her own master.
Parsee asks if that could work and Satori, mildly peeved, states that it COULD work, but it would still be incredibly dangerous. Parsee grins and agrees to do it.
In Satori's basement, the team is busy setting up for the ritual: Parsee is drawing runes on her skin, Xavier and Satori are writing down the instructions for performing the ritual, and Orin and Okuu are busy drawing magical circles on the floor. The result looks inelegant and sloppy, especially Parsee's self-tattoos, but Satori deems it all adequate. She begins herding everyone else out of the room, turning and telling Parsee her mother would never be this impetuous.
Parsee smirks and asks if Satori is still missing a tooth. Satori blushes and leaves.
Now alone, Parsee grabs the sheets of paper with an incantation and other instructions written on it. She paces about the room, reading everything out loud. As she recites the magic words, the marks on the floor and on her skin begin to glow in a pulsating pattern. The pulses grow quicker and quicker the more she reads until they are just constantly lit. A shrill ringing suddenly rages through Parsee's head, causing her to drop the notes as she clutches her skull.
In an instant, a memory of every time Parsee had been jealous or envious ripped through her mind. Jealousy that work kept her mother from being home. Envy that her mother was better at riding motorcycles. Jealousy whenever she saw a kid who had a nicer outfit or cooler toys. Envy whenever she saw a happy couple come into her store. After awhile, thoughts and memories that weren't even hers flooded into her mind, the envy and jealousy of everyone in Bridge City.
With a scream, Parsee begins to stand, struggling not to be overwhelmed. A trickle of blood leaks from her nose and her legs tremble. She growls that she's been jealous her entire life, she's never NOT felt envious of something, but through it all, she never let herself be controlled by it. She never let some petty feeling stop her from wishing people well or fighting for justice.
The trembling stops as she grits her teeth, boldly declaring that SHE is the one who controls envy, not the other way around. SHE is the one whom others should be envious of! SHE...IS...ENVY.
And in that moment, the voices stop and Parsees finds herself in a barrel chamber instead of Satori's basement. A mysterious light from above casts its glow where Parsee stands, but nowhere beyond a few feet. Footsteps echo through the room and a knight in blue-and-tan armor steps into the light. Parsee asks if the knight is Envy, but the knight shakes her head.
"I was once called Envy. It was a terrible time," the knight says. "But now I am no longer that person. You have claimed the power and title of Envy for yourself, granddaughter."
Parsee quirks and eyebrow, about to speak, but more footsteps echo through the room. The light expands to show dozens of Kamen Rider Himes surrounding the two. One steps forward, speaking with a voice familiar to Parsee.
"She is more than just Envy. She bears the title of Kamen Rider Hime, successor to a heritage of justice and self-determination."
The Rider removes her helmet, exposing the long purple-and-gold hair of Byakuren.
"And a daughter I could not be more proud of."
Parsee rushes forward and embraces her mother. Byakuren smiles and continues.
"Through hardship and heartbreak, you have never given in to despair, my daughter. Your devotion to justice is unbreakable, as is my love for you. The enemy you will face is the greatest you have ever seen, but you have the strength and will to survive."
The two step back from each other as the room begins to fade. Parsee is slowly shaking off the strange effects of the ritual and watches her mother fade away.
"And remember, the Rider must always ride..."
The room changes back to Satori's basement and Parsee feels a severe case of motion sickness. She slowly stands up and wonders if that was actually helpful. Then she feels it...a whisper at first, but it slowly builds until she can hear the ebb and flow of envy in Bridge City, not a loud, uncontrolled roar, but a slow channel flowing into her, giving her strength. She grins, deciding to try something.
She reaches for her belt before remember she doesn't have the Henshin Device anymore, but she tries anyway.
"HENSHIN!"
The room crackles and shakes as the power of Envy flows through Parsee's body, the stream becoming a raging river as armor forms around her body.
Kamen Rider Hime is reborn.
The silence is broken when Parsee enters the room with a large bandage across her torso and yells out for them to just kiss already. Xavier and Satori turn to glare, only to have Parsee glaring back at them. Parsee shakes her head and asks the big question: "What now?"
Xavier states that without any good candidates for Sins in Bridge City, the Queen will move on to another city to terrorize until she has a full group of knights so she can begin actively trying to take over the world. Parsee clenches her teeth while Satori looks unconcerned, almost bored. Parsee calls her out on this but Satori answers that as long as she's not in Bridge City, Satori doesn't care. Xavier remarks that Satori has changed since the days she was called Elise, but Satori says the same thing about Xavier.
Suddenly, Satori finds herself being glared at by someone else: Okuu. The Hell Raven calmly asks why Satori is so eager to defer yet another big issue, casually strumming on her chest for emphasis. Mother and daughter hold each other's gaze for moments before Satori flinches and asks if Parsee has a plan.
Of course Parsee does: go back to their castle school and start punching people!
Even Okuu is appalled by that plan. Satori asks how Parsee plans to do that without powers.
Now Parsee is appalled too.
Xavier speaks up with an idea of how to get Parsee's powers back: since she was born with them, they'll recharge in a few years! Parsee says that the Queen will be long gone by then. Xavier then suggests something more drastic: turn Parsee into a new Envy.
Parsee immediately gets in Xavier's face, shaking her fist and growling that she just avoided that happening. Xavier tips his seat over trying to back up and explains: the ritual does bind the subject to the caster, which is why Parsee would need to perform the ritual on herself, making her her own master.
Parsee asks if that could work and Satori, mildly peeved, states that it COULD work, but it would still be incredibly dangerous. Parsee grins and agrees to do it.
In Satori's basement, the team is busy setting up for the ritual: Parsee is drawing runes on her skin, Xavier and Satori are writing down the instructions for performing the ritual, and Orin and Okuu are busy drawing magical circles on the floor. The result looks inelegant and sloppy, especially Parsee's self-tattoos, but Satori deems it all adequate. She begins herding everyone else out of the room, turning and telling Parsee her mother would never be this impetuous.
Parsee smirks and asks if Satori is still missing a tooth. Satori blushes and leaves.
Now alone, Parsee grabs the sheets of paper with an incantation and other instructions written on it. She paces about the room, reading everything out loud. As she recites the magic words, the marks on the floor and on her skin begin to glow in a pulsating pattern. The pulses grow quicker and quicker the more she reads until they are just constantly lit. A shrill ringing suddenly rages through Parsee's head, causing her to drop the notes as she clutches her skull.
In an instant, a memory of every time Parsee had been jealous or envious ripped through her mind. Jealousy that work kept her mother from being home. Envy that her mother was better at riding motorcycles. Jealousy whenever she saw a kid who had a nicer outfit or cooler toys. Envy whenever she saw a happy couple come into her store. After awhile, thoughts and memories that weren't even hers flooded into her mind, the envy and jealousy of everyone in Bridge City.
With a scream, Parsee begins to stand, struggling not to be overwhelmed. A trickle of blood leaks from her nose and her legs tremble. She growls that she's been jealous her entire life, she's never NOT felt envious of something, but through it all, she never let herself be controlled by it. She never let some petty feeling stop her from wishing people well or fighting for justice.
The trembling stops as she grits her teeth, boldly declaring that SHE is the one who controls envy, not the other way around. SHE is the one whom others should be envious of! SHE...IS...ENVY.
And in that moment, the voices stop and Parsees finds herself in a barrel chamber instead of Satori's basement. A mysterious light from above casts its glow where Parsee stands, but nowhere beyond a few feet. Footsteps echo through the room and a knight in blue-and-tan armor steps into the light. Parsee asks if the knight is Envy, but the knight shakes her head.
"I was once called Envy. It was a terrible time," the knight says. "But now I am no longer that person. You have claimed the power and title of Envy for yourself, granddaughter."
Parsee quirks and eyebrow, about to speak, but more footsteps echo through the room. The light expands to show dozens of Kamen Rider Himes surrounding the two. One steps forward, speaking with a voice familiar to Parsee.
"She is more than just Envy. She bears the title of Kamen Rider Hime, successor to a heritage of justice and self-determination."
The Rider removes her helmet, exposing the long purple-and-gold hair of Byakuren.
"And a daughter I could not be more proud of."
Parsee rushes forward and embraces her mother. Byakuren smiles and continues.
"Through hardship and heartbreak, you have never given in to despair, my daughter. Your devotion to justice is unbreakable, as is my love for you. The enemy you will face is the greatest you have ever seen, but you have the strength and will to survive."
The two step back from each other as the room begins to fade. Parsee is slowly shaking off the strange effects of the ritual and watches her mother fade away.
"And remember, the Rider must always ride..."
The room changes back to Satori's basement and Parsee feels a severe case of motion sickness. She slowly stands up and wonders if that was actually helpful. Then she feels it...a whisper at first, but it slowly builds until she can hear the ebb and flow of envy in Bridge City, not a loud, uncontrolled roar, but a slow channel flowing into her, giving her strength. She grins, deciding to try something.
She reaches for her belt before remember she doesn't have the Henshin Device anymore, but she tries anyway.
"HENSHIN!"
The room crackles and shakes as the power of Envy flows through Parsee's body, the stream becoming a raging river as armor forms around her body.
Kamen Rider Hime is reborn.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Kamen Rider Hime Vol. 11
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 20 years ago...
A woman with purple hair sits on her roof in the middle of a rainstorm. Byakuren Hijiri, member of the Bridge City council and single mother, takes a deep breath as she practices focusing with her mind, using meditation to remove the feeling of the rain from her skin. She chants gently as she expands her consciousness or something people do while meditating. Nearby, a young girl in a raincoat watches, waiting. After a few minutes, the girls walks over and opens an umbrella over Byakuren, surprising her out of her trance.
"Parsee, what are you doing up here? It's cold," she says, looking at raincoat girl.
"You'll catch cold if you sit in the rain, Mommy," young Parsee protests. "That's what you tell me when I put my coat on."
"This is different, sweetie. I'm training my mind to ignore the touch of the rain, to calm my thoughts."
"But you noticed as soon as I held the umbrella up."
Byakuren smiles and nods. "You're right. Mommy needs more practice. Later though; would it be smarter if we went in and had some chocolate milk?"
Young Parsee's eyes light up as she practically drags her mother inside for a glass of her favorite treat.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 17 years ago...
Byakuren and Parsee are busy in their dojo practicing martial arts. Byakuren slowly goes through her routine so her daughter can follow. The elder keeps up an encouraging rapport even as some of the moves are too difficult for a young girl to pull off. The training continues for another half hour until the door opens, admitting one of Byakuren's aides.
"Ma'am, a call from city hall. The mayor wants to convene a special session of the council tonight to vote on the highway expansion."
Byakuren sighs and begins toweling off. "Damn. It's not the mayor calling for this, it's Satori. Nobody else would insist on relocating so many people just to expand a few blocks of road. Tell them I'll be there, of course."
Parsee grabs her mother's gi and tugs on it. "You'll be back tonight, right, Mommy?"
Byakuren smiles and tussles Parsee's hair. "It'll only be a couple of hours. Keep practicing, because I AM going to test you tonight."
"Can I listen to my music too?"
Byakuren nods. "You can, and if you need anything, just ask Puddington."
Parsee cheers and hugs her mother's legs before turning on some cheerful music to continue her punch and kick routine. Byakuren sighs happily before ordering someone to warm up her motorcycle while she gets changed.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 13 years ago...
Byakuren sighs as she returns home. What a day...nothing but trying to keep the council focuses on working for the benefit on the city, trying to keep taxes from being cut in the wrong places, and another attempt by Satori to get her to advocate an expansion for the nuclear power plant. The thing produced enough power as is; why did it need to be bigger?
For now though, she had to prepare for tomorrow. She thought she'd gotten the agriculture debate settled ages ago, but someone read a stupid magazine and wanted to reopen the subject immediately. She begins walking to her office when she hears music. Parsee was training again, going through her routines again and again.
Byakuren heads downstairs and watches her daughter, drenched in sweat, go through the motions of attack again and again before turning off the music.
"How was work, Mom?" Parsee asks, chugging down some water.
"Bah...more of the usual," Byakuren says. "Every time I get them straightened up, they get bent out of shape again."
Parsee shrugs and sits down. "We're still going Riding tomorrow though, right?"
Riding. Capital R Riding. Byakuren bites her lip, remembering that she promised to finally start showing Parsee some of the family secrets, like the Henshin Device and her Ride Machine. Her daughter knew she was Kamen Rider, but Byakuren was careful never to actually transform near home for fear of drawing attention.
She nods. "Yes, we're still going riding. There's a special session of the council tomorrow, but I'll tell Ichirin to take my place."
Parsee whoops and cheers. "Finally! You're finally going to teach me the awesome stuff!"
Mother and daughter share a laugh before training together.
Downtown Bridge City, 8 years ago...
Kamen Rider Hime groans as she sits up. Too much time spent working on the city council, not enough time training herself or Parsee to continue being the Rider. Now she might not ever get the chance to finish what she started. She gets to her feet and watches the towering purple-skinned dinosaur man stomp towards her. It bellows in a strange tongue, waving its meaty fists angrily. A strange blue sphere hovered nearby but did little else. Hime gets to her feet and begins to strategize: frontal attack was no good, its hide was too strong, and it was surprisingly difficult to trick. The only soft spots the monster seemed to have were in its mouth and its eyes.
Kamen Rider Hime rolls to the side as the dinosaur man throws a car where she'd been standing, but she's hit when another car is thrown at her. She throws a pair of energy blasts that stagger the dinosaur man back long enough for her to mount her Ride Machine. She weaves back and forth as she is bombarded with concrete chunks and debris, but she continues gaining speed until...
"Highway Turbo Air Turn!"
Her Ride Machine, Palanquin Cycle, glows with energy as it crashes head-first into the dinosaur man. To the Rider's surprise though, the purple monster is able to withstand the attack, though he is slowly pushed back and his stomach begins to smolder. Two meaty fists smash the bike from both sides, crumpling the front end of the bike as Kamen Rider Hime takes the opportunity to deliver crushing punches to his face, snapping off some teeth but doing little actual damage.
Undeterred, Kamen Rider Hime jumps back and begins charging up another attack.
"Heaven Sign: Brilliance of Mahava-!"
She is interrupted as she is lifted into the air by the purple monster and has her midsection bitten down on. Strangely, despite being in great pain, she seems pleased to be in this position.
"Brilliance of Mahavairocana!"
Kamen Rider Hime's body glows like a miniature sun as she finishes her spell. The monster tries to drop her, but it is too late as massive beams of light erupt from the Rider's body...and right into his soft mouth. He howls in pain and fury as Hime wraps her arms around his jaws, forcing him to literally eat death as beam after beam fries his vulnerable mouth and up into his brain.
The beast manages one last strange utterance before dying: "Vacio..."
Kamen Rider Hime manages to get back on her bike and drive home.
The moment she arrived home, Byakuren announced her intention to step down from the city council. She managed to cover up her injuries as being caught up in the fight between the creature the news called Pteron and Kamen Rider. She spends a week recovering, hiring the best physicians to treat her wounds. Her training sessions with Parsee intensify, becoming more about being Kamen Rider than just focusing on martial arts. Philosophy, tactics, creating spell cards and a Ride Machine...Byakuren holds nothing back and Parsee passes every test.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 6 years ago...
Byakuren smiles as she takes a handful of painkillers, grateful for the privacy as she watches a news report about Kamen Rider Hime fighting a local gang of thugs. Her heart swells with pride as the Rider rescues several hostages and drives off before she can give an interviews.
The former Kamen Rider Hime begins making her way downstairs to pour two glasses of chocolate milk. However much some things changed, there would always be something that stayed the same and Parsee would no doubt want to chat all night about how her first mission went...
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 5 years ago...
Parsee dries her eyes for the hundredth time since the funeral. Byakuren had looked peaceful as they sealed her coffin and lowered it into the ground. Having long been a popular and respected city council member, her colleagues insisted on paying the expenses and hosting a grand event. It hadn't mattered to Parsee, who still felt numb.
She looks at some papers labeled "autopsy" and mutters that she finally understands why her mother had insisted on intensifying her training. Pteron had left deep, lasting wounds despite the Rider's armor. Byakuren had seen the best surgeons in the city; it had been a matter of when, not if. Parsee cries as she remembers how Byakuren had insisted on the training, clearly wanting to spend her last years with her daughter to prepare her to be the best Kamen Rider she could be.
And that was the legacy Parsee chooses to honor: defending the city as Kamen Rider, not trying to take up her mother's other kind of civil service. That night, she takes her mother's things to the basement - including Palanquin Cycle, which Parsee has replaced with her own Envy Driver.
Parsee changes her name the next day to distance herself from Byakuren's council dealings. Parsee Hijiri is gone; Parsee Mizuhashi is here.
Satori Tower, Bridge City, present day...
Parsee awakens.
A woman with purple hair sits on her roof in the middle of a rainstorm. Byakuren Hijiri, member of the Bridge City council and single mother, takes a deep breath as she practices focusing with her mind, using meditation to remove the feeling of the rain from her skin. She chants gently as she expands her consciousness or something people do while meditating. Nearby, a young girl in a raincoat watches, waiting. After a few minutes, the girls walks over and opens an umbrella over Byakuren, surprising her out of her trance.
"Parsee, what are you doing up here? It's cold," she says, looking at raincoat girl.
"You'll catch cold if you sit in the rain, Mommy," young Parsee protests. "That's what you tell me when I put my coat on."
"This is different, sweetie. I'm training my mind to ignore the touch of the rain, to calm my thoughts."
"But you noticed as soon as I held the umbrella up."
Byakuren smiles and nods. "You're right. Mommy needs more practice. Later though; would it be smarter if we went in and had some chocolate milk?"
Young Parsee's eyes light up as she practically drags her mother inside for a glass of her favorite treat.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 17 years ago...
Byakuren and Parsee are busy in their dojo practicing martial arts. Byakuren slowly goes through her routine so her daughter can follow. The elder keeps up an encouraging rapport even as some of the moves are too difficult for a young girl to pull off. The training continues for another half hour until the door opens, admitting one of Byakuren's aides.
"Ma'am, a call from city hall. The mayor wants to convene a special session of the council tonight to vote on the highway expansion."
Byakuren sighs and begins toweling off. "Damn. It's not the mayor calling for this, it's Satori. Nobody else would insist on relocating so many people just to expand a few blocks of road. Tell them I'll be there, of course."
Parsee grabs her mother's gi and tugs on it. "You'll be back tonight, right, Mommy?"
Byakuren smiles and tussles Parsee's hair. "It'll only be a couple of hours. Keep practicing, because I AM going to test you tonight."
"Can I listen to my music too?"
Byakuren nods. "You can, and if you need anything, just ask Puddington."
Parsee cheers and hugs her mother's legs before turning on some cheerful music to continue her punch and kick routine. Byakuren sighs happily before ordering someone to warm up her motorcycle while she gets changed.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 13 years ago...
Byakuren sighs as she returns home. What a day...nothing but trying to keep the council focuses on working for the benefit on the city, trying to keep taxes from being cut in the wrong places, and another attempt by Satori to get her to advocate an expansion for the nuclear power plant. The thing produced enough power as is; why did it need to be bigger?
For now though, she had to prepare for tomorrow. She thought she'd gotten the agriculture debate settled ages ago, but someone read a stupid magazine and wanted to reopen the subject immediately. She begins walking to her office when she hears music. Parsee was training again, going through her routines again and again.
Byakuren heads downstairs and watches her daughter, drenched in sweat, go through the motions of attack again and again before turning off the music.
"How was work, Mom?" Parsee asks, chugging down some water.
"Bah...more of the usual," Byakuren says. "Every time I get them straightened up, they get bent out of shape again."
Parsee shrugs and sits down. "We're still going Riding tomorrow though, right?"
Riding. Capital R Riding. Byakuren bites her lip, remembering that she promised to finally start showing Parsee some of the family secrets, like the Henshin Device and her Ride Machine. Her daughter knew she was Kamen Rider, but Byakuren was careful never to actually transform near home for fear of drawing attention.
She nods. "Yes, we're still going riding. There's a special session of the council tomorrow, but I'll tell Ichirin to take my place."
Parsee whoops and cheers. "Finally! You're finally going to teach me the awesome stuff!"
Mother and daughter share a laugh before training together.
Downtown Bridge City, 8 years ago...
Kamen Rider Hime groans as she sits up. Too much time spent working on the city council, not enough time training herself or Parsee to continue being the Rider. Now she might not ever get the chance to finish what she started. She gets to her feet and watches the towering purple-skinned dinosaur man stomp towards her. It bellows in a strange tongue, waving its meaty fists angrily. A strange blue sphere hovered nearby but did little else. Hime gets to her feet and begins to strategize: frontal attack was no good, its hide was too strong, and it was surprisingly difficult to trick. The only soft spots the monster seemed to have were in its mouth and its eyes.
Kamen Rider Hime rolls to the side as the dinosaur man throws a car where she'd been standing, but she's hit when another car is thrown at her. She throws a pair of energy blasts that stagger the dinosaur man back long enough for her to mount her Ride Machine. She weaves back and forth as she is bombarded with concrete chunks and debris, but she continues gaining speed until...
"Highway Turbo Air Turn!"
Her Ride Machine, Palanquin Cycle, glows with energy as it crashes head-first into the dinosaur man. To the Rider's surprise though, the purple monster is able to withstand the attack, though he is slowly pushed back and his stomach begins to smolder. Two meaty fists smash the bike from both sides, crumpling the front end of the bike as Kamen Rider Hime takes the opportunity to deliver crushing punches to his face, snapping off some teeth but doing little actual damage.
Undeterred, Kamen Rider Hime jumps back and begins charging up another attack.
"Heaven Sign: Brilliance of Mahava-!"
She is interrupted as she is lifted into the air by the purple monster and has her midsection bitten down on. Strangely, despite being in great pain, she seems pleased to be in this position.
"Brilliance of Mahavairocana!"
Kamen Rider Hime's body glows like a miniature sun as she finishes her spell. The monster tries to drop her, but it is too late as massive beams of light erupt from the Rider's body...and right into his soft mouth. He howls in pain and fury as Hime wraps her arms around his jaws, forcing him to literally eat death as beam after beam fries his vulnerable mouth and up into his brain.
The beast manages one last strange utterance before dying: "Vacio..."
Kamen Rider Hime manages to get back on her bike and drive home.
The moment she arrived home, Byakuren announced her intention to step down from the city council. She managed to cover up her injuries as being caught up in the fight between the creature the news called Pteron and Kamen Rider. She spends a week recovering, hiring the best physicians to treat her wounds. Her training sessions with Parsee intensify, becoming more about being Kamen Rider than just focusing on martial arts. Philosophy, tactics, creating spell cards and a Ride Machine...Byakuren holds nothing back and Parsee passes every test.
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 6 years ago...
Byakuren smiles as she takes a handful of painkillers, grateful for the privacy as she watches a news report about Kamen Rider Hime fighting a local gang of thugs. Her heart swells with pride as the Rider rescues several hostages and drives off before she can give an interviews.
The former Kamen Rider Hime begins making her way downstairs to pour two glasses of chocolate milk. However much some things changed, there would always be something that stayed the same and Parsee would no doubt want to chat all night about how her first mission went...
Hijiri Household, Bridge City, 5 years ago...
Parsee dries her eyes for the hundredth time since the funeral. Byakuren had looked peaceful as they sealed her coffin and lowered it into the ground. Having long been a popular and respected city council member, her colleagues insisted on paying the expenses and hosting a grand event. It hadn't mattered to Parsee, who still felt numb.
She looks at some papers labeled "autopsy" and mutters that she finally understands why her mother had insisted on intensifying her training. Pteron had left deep, lasting wounds despite the Rider's armor. Byakuren had seen the best surgeons in the city; it had been a matter of when, not if. Parsee cries as she remembers how Byakuren had insisted on the training, clearly wanting to spend her last years with her daughter to prepare her to be the best Kamen Rider she could be.
And that was the legacy Parsee chooses to honor: defending the city as Kamen Rider, not trying to take up her mother's other kind of civil service. That night, she takes her mother's things to the basement - including Palanquin Cycle, which Parsee has replaced with her own Envy Driver.
Parsee changes her name the next day to distance herself from Byakuren's council dealings. Parsee Hijiri is gone; Parsee Mizuhashi is here.
Satori Tower, Bridge City, present day...
Parsee awakens.
Kamen Rider Hime Volume 11 Totally Legit Not SPonsored At all
Jumpropeman: *places ear up to it* "I'm thinking.... Arby's"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)