Fantasy Stellar ARMOR Satellizer (Ranix Aurus & Admiral19)

[Admiral19]

"Relax." Kanae quelled that fight before it could even start. "Gemini isn't either of ours right now."

As Kanae was trying to ease the conflict, Rui stared down at the floor. This was a prime opportunity, a chance for everything to come together quickly. Once their job for the Kaiserin was done, they could...

Well, that depends on what the Kaiserin would do. She always said that she was "crafting a new world", but what did that mean?

Given the monsters that were created...well, they really didn't know.

"Deal."

Kanae's attention was turned to Rui.

"We'll be taking those. We're gonna leave on the soonest flight."

---

"Really?!"

The Kaiserin was over the moon. Apparently, the Holders were approached by Leo and told that she would be handing the remaining medallions over. Oh, this was perfect! A red carpet was practically being laid out for her...everything was falling properly into place.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"They're in," Seiichiro said to Aisuke in their van. Akira had sent a message to report what was happening. Perhaps the last one that he could send for a while. At least it was a good news.

"I really can't understand what's going on in those youngsters' mind. Nevermind your daughter, even Akira sounds as reckless as her. 'No need to worry', he said. Even though they only have Leo in case something bad happened... but I guess they have a plan to regain Gemini? Still, that's two against three-- ahh, I'm getting crazy from worrying!"

He had been listening to the news while waiting. The monsters had apparently disappeared from the scene, most likely taken away by Aesir for their nefarious purpose. The few that went rampant had been subdued by the armed force, thanks to the technologies provided by OLYMPUS. There was even a planned event in the future to give the company a public acknowledgement of contribution to the nation.

However, rumors spread in the net of certain group of strangers who were the true heroes responsible for defeating these menaces... but they would disappear soon after, leaving no evidence of their involvement save for some blurry footage caught on phones. Those were decried as edited anyway.

"...What is becoming of our world?" Seiichiro groaned. Everything seemed to be breaking apart.

---

"This is smoother than I expected," Akira said. They didn't even bother to check their possessions before letting them tag along. Perhaps they were just that confident; they had bested Kanae before after all, if only she didn't use Overdrive-

"Kanae, just in case," he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You should not use Overdrive anymore. You're more sensitive to Eldrian essence than other humans. Last time, Enjyuu was there to suppress your mutation, but there won't be next time. She entrusted your safety to me, so I won't let you endanger yourself to that degree again, no matter the reason."

 

[Admiral19]

"Listen, if I know my daughter, she wouldn't do this without reason." Well, that's what Aisuke was hoping. "We can only hope she knows what she's doing...and that Akira is able to help her if she doesn't."

---

Kanae shrugged. "I mean, at the end of the day, the job's getting done. They wanna see the results."

Oh, she had no intention to use Overdrive again. Being in that state that she was in...it felt terrible. That being said, she hoped that it wouldn't become necessary for her to use it. "Fear not, I'll be fine. If we've gotten this far, I'm not gonna choke right at the end."

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"Riiight..." Akira didn't really have much confidence considering Kanae's track record of reckless actions, but he had no other option other than rolling with it. For now, he would just stay put and watch how things unfolded.

Shouji on the other hand kept staring at Rui throughout the entire flight, as if afraid that they would disappear from his sight if he looked away even for a minute.

 

[Admiral19]

"What, you don't trust your dear friend?" Kanae playfully nudged Akira's arm. "Have a little more faith, at least!"

As it turned out, the Kaiserin had a ride prepared the moment they all touched down, chauffeured by one of Aesir's men. Figures. The abandoned mine that was used for the "building project" was a long ride, although it wouldn't really feel that way to Kanae, who had all sorts of things on her mind.

It was the exact same for Rui as well, who occasionally looked past the divider that separated the trios at Shouji. Aoi had told them multiple times not to let Shouji get the better of their thoughts, but...goddammit, they couldn't help it!

It's okay. It wouldn't be long now; just this last errand, and they could do whatever they wanted with Shouji.

---

The chauffeur drove them up to the entrance of the abandoned mine, but they all had to take the rest of the way on foot. Fair enough.

A handful of minutes later, the six of them would be greeted to the sight of an open area, at the center of which was the "stage" that the Kaiserin took all this effort to make.

And standing at the center of that was the Kaiserin herself, dressed no differently than if she were still in her lab in Japan.

"Welcome! I hope you like what I've done with the place."

 

[Ranix Aurus]

The descend into the abandoned mine reminded Akira of the old movies, where the heroes went into the final boss's lair. He didn't know what to expect, a dungeon? A torture room? The open area, however, was... too mild for his imagination. It looked like a stage, something that you might see in a stadium or a concert hall. Just, underground.

"It's... unique," Akira blurted out.

Shouji on the other hand had a more intense reaction upon seeing the Kaiserin in the flesh. He glared at her with clenched fists. There she was, the one that he had to defeat in order to free Rui... but he couldn't. Not yet. Take a deep breath, stick to the plan...

 

[Admiral19]

"Thank you, thank you!" The Kaiserin clapped enthusiastically. "It took a lot of effort to get the area cleared and built. And speaking of effort..."

The Kaiserin glared at Leo, dark red taking in every detail of the person who's been the biggest hurdle in her plans this whole time. She then inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as if she were in thought.

"Hm. It's hard to tell from here, but...oh, Leo, I'm catching a whiff of something familiar on you...Sweet, sweet Leo, you were almost too much effort than all this was worth. If it wasn't for what I was trying to do, I would have given up on this whole venture. Of course, you weren't the only hurdle,"—Her eyes flicked briefly over to Shouji—"but you were, by far and away, the biggest and most painful of the many thorns in my side."

She waved dismissively. "Ach, but I digress. You did make a deal, right? You know what I need."

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Shouji almost couldn't hold it any longer. He was about to rush over and beat the shit out of the Kaiserin, their plan be damned, when Akira gripped his shoulder to rein him back.

"Tch...!" Shouji gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"I'm ready anytime," Akira leaned over, whispering into Kanae's ears. "Whatever that you decide to do... we're in this together."

 

[Admiral19]

"Got it." With all the confidence in the world, Kanae strode up to the Kaiserin, briefcase holding the medallions in hand. "All of them are in here. Check them yourself. And..."

Kanae removed something from her pocket and placed it with the other medallions in the suitcase...Leo, her own medallion. "All twelve."

As the Kaiserin was looking over the case's content, Kanae carefully reached her hand up to her armband. She looked back to nod at Akira and Shouji. If they got the hint, then this should—

Something wrapped tight around Kanae's neck and lifted her up into the air. A little time to get over the shock and a look down at the still-ruminating Kaiserin revealed that the thing constricting Kanae's throat was a tail, a scorpion's tail, the Kaiserin's scorpion tail, the tip of which was conveniently resting just inches away from Kanae's right eye.

"Now, here's the thing." The Kaiserin continued, looking over every medallion except Leo's. "Fool Shouji for once, shame on him. Fool my Holders for twice, shame on that fisherman. Fool me for three times...ah, that's impossible. Now then."

The tail lowered itself so that Kanae was staring deep into blood red eyes. Very calmly, the Kaiserin took a hold of Kanae's wrist, pulling away the wristband attached to it.

"Enjyuu's smell is particularly strong on you, now that I have a closer look." The Kaiserin leaned in closer. "Are you two...hmm?"

"What..." Kanae struggled to breathe. "does it matter what relationship I have with her?"

 

[Ranix Aurus]

While everyone was watching Kanae approaching the Kaiserin, Akira had scooted closer to Shouji. Without anyone noticing, he slid something down his wrist. Shouji trembled for a moment; he knew the feeling of this item like the back of his hands.

It was his ARMOR wristband!

"You..."

Even if he gave Shouji a wristband, it was still useless without the Gemini medallion. That was what Shouji about to say when the Kaiserin suddenly sprouted out a tail-- a  scorpion tail!

"She can do that?!?" Akira howled, flabbergasted. What the hell?!

"I have no idea!" Not even Shouji, who was once her underling, knew about this revelation. This was clearly a joke. The Kaiserin that he knew was just a normal human, okay? Normal humans don't have  tail!

Akira couldn't be bothered with the reality of the situation. Kanae was in danger, and her safety was his only concern. He raised his left hand up, and on his wrist, was another wristband; it was the same design as the rest of the OLYMPUS-made ARMOR wristband, except for the large circular slot on the top part.

"Suit up!"

ARMOR ON.

Light particles swarmed over his body, solidifying into a set of white full-body armor, the basic form of the ARMOR system. With the enhanced physical boost granted by the system, he leaped up into the air, rushing straight at Kanae and the Kaiserin.

"I'll leave them to you!"

"You've gotta be kidding me! Suit up!"

Shouji repeated what Akira had done. Donned in the same basic white ARMOR, he instead went over to Rui and the rest, trying to buy Kanae and Akira some time.

It was a crazy idea. Without medallions, they were no better than slightly-stronger normal humans. Yet it was the best that he could do, so he only had this one path to bullishly push through.

"Ruiiii!" Like a madman, Shouji threw a punch at them.

At the same time, Akira was gunning for the Kaiserin.

"Let her go!" He yelled as he drew closer to the two at the center.

 

[Admiral19]

"Not much. But I think it would be—"

The Kaiserin turned so that her tail threw Kanae at the approaching Akira, sending them both backwards.

"Ahem. I think it would be interesting to know. After all, the chances of a human having been in close enough contact with an Eldrian—much less a Patriarch—are practically none! What were you doing with a Patriarch, hm?"

Kanae stared hard at the Kaiserin. "Wouldn't you like to know, huh!?"

Meanwhile, Rui quickly went to ARMOR up, but they were too late to stop Shouji from hitting them square in the jaw. Aoi and Aina started to go for their wristbands—

"Wait!"

Rui stood and held Aoi and Aina back. "Let me. Stop the two going for the Kaiserin. Please."

After a moment of suspicious silence, the two Holders obeyed, running to where the Kaiserin was and armoring up.

As they left, Rui stared sadly at Shouji, then donned their ARMOR. "Hey, Shouji."

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"Rui..."

Shouji's hand trembled. That was the best that he could do. At least, he had bought some time. Enough for Leo to take over. Still...

"...Why are you doing this? Look at that! The Kaiserin is no longer a human! She's a monster! She's not worth your loyalty!"

He knew that he wasn't at their league, not when they were fully ARMORed. But... he didn't want to give up. He won't give up on Rui!

"Come with me, Rui! I... I won't stop until you do!"

With a loud roar, he swung his fist once again...

---

The Kaiserin... knew about the patriarchs?

Akira didn't expect it. Either she knew another patriarch, most likely Hyogo, or... there was another possibility. After all, when it concerned the Eldrians, there was still a lot of things that he didn't know. Things that even Enjyuu had forgotten.

But it didn't matter.

He had flagged her as a danger. Not just for Kanae, but also for Enjyuu. She had to be stopped.

"Kanae," Akira called out as he shot a glance at the two Holders rushing at them. "Is it possible for you to take Gemini away from her? I'll deal with those two. I should be able to buy you some time."

He took a step forward, preparing to clash with them head on. He raised his right hand; in his palm was an ampule in the shape of a circular dial, with larger radius than the vial used for Overdrive.

It was the item that Genki had given to him: the result of his years of singular research. All for the sake of revenge.

In one smooth motion, he swiped his hand over his left wrist, slotting the ampule right into his wristband. The dial entered with a resounding click, and it turned. Very. Slightly.

INJECTION

The feminine mechanical voice was corrupted, broken down into an organic, guttural snarl of a beast. The liquid inside the ampule flowed throughout the inside of the ARMOR, and at the same time, the lines inbetween the overlapping white plates of the ARMOR began to glow in bestial yellow.

The plates began to split apart, raising up, down, left, right, reconstructing the shape of the ARMOR.

CRACKING. BREAK. OUT. DRAGON

The eye slits lifted up, slanting upward, forming vicious lines on his face. The yellow glow gradually turned into red.

Akira's body underneath the suit grew up in size, his muscles swelling up, his arms and legs getting sturdier, bulkier. Bluish-green scales could be seen Inbetween the openings of the ARMOR plates on his hands, and his legs. The mouth piece of his helmet split open to the sides, letting loose a reptillian maw, with rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

At the end of his transformation, the plates on his back slid open, and a hulking tail burst out. The tail lashed out with a deafening slam. leaving a huge crack on the floor.

"...Not bad, old man..."

And yet, Akira's voice came out unchanged from the armored monster's snout, as if his appearance was just an illusion. He cracked his fists, once, twice, getting used to his new form.

And then, he leaped forward, his claws swung, aiming straight at Aoi.

 

[Admiral19]

"For all I know, she was probably never a human!" Rui brought out one of their swords and caught Shouji's punch in their other hand. "I never had to ask her about what she is, because I never needed to know!"

They slashed their sword across Shouji's chest and kicked them backwards. "If you try to keep fighting me, I'll have to kill you...please don't make me do that, Shouji."

---

Aoi and Aina both gunned for Akira as soon as his ARMOR materialized, each prepared to attack him from a side. What they didn't anticipate, however, was Akira's sudden transformation. An Eldriari?! But that was—

Aoi barely managed to stop Akira's claws from tearing at her ARMOR. "You just keep surprising us, huh?!" Aina swung at Akira from the other side, hoping to catch him while Akira was still focused on Aoi.

Both of them left Kanae with the perfect opportunity to try and get the other medallions. The Kaiserin was already standing at some platform in the center of the stage...if Kanae thought right, then Gemini would be with the other medallions! Very carefully, she snuck up from behind the Kaiserin...

Only for the stinger on her scorpion tail to damn near impale Kanae. "Surely you didn't think it'd be that easy."

With that, the Kaiserin turned, gesturing at the predicaments Kanae's friends were in. "Listen, you're a good kid, you really are. But, well, in my opinion, you're putting your friends through far too much for something so simple!"

"Oh, and I guess stopping someone from taking over the world is "simple"?!" Kanae ducked under the Kaiserin's tail and frantically searched the platform for Gemini, only for the Kaiserin to pull her back with her tail.

"I don't wish to take over the world! I just wish to be strong!" The Kaiserin held Kanae high up above the stage. "When I took my plight to the Patriarchs, they belittled me. When I hid amongst the humans and worked with OLYMPUS, they stopped me from searching. Hell, even when I formed Aesir, people like you"—she brought her tail down, causing Kanae to crash hard into the stone—"were determined to stop me!"

Kanae struggled to stand as the Kaiserin began placing the remaining medallions into the platform. "Not this time. I'm tired of being denied at every turn! I'm tired of being ridiculed, being told what I can and cannot do!"

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Shouji fell to the ground with a loud thud, yet he still got back up. Even if he was trembling from the strike, he still got up to his feet. Because he wanted to show Rui that he could do it. That he could fulfill his promise.

"...Then you'll have to kill me... because I will never give up!"

He rushed to Rui once again... but this time, his arms were opened wide, as he tried to grab them. If he couldn't defeat them, then anything would do, as long as he could keep their attention on him just for a bit longer.

---

Before Aina's attack could reach him, the tail on Akira's back swung at her, deflecting her weapon with a heavy strike. Without missing a beat, he swung his other arm at Aoi once again, not giving her any slack to recover.

"What's wrong? You're usually more spirited than this," Akira goaded, bombarding Aoi with a flurry of slashes. "You're just a weak little sissy who can't win without Overdrive, aren't you?"

He sneaked a glance at Kanae and the Kaiserin. They were busy with their own fight as well. He had to keep these two in check until Kanae managed to stop her.

 

[Admiral19]

Rui just sighed, then swiped at their wristband.

Overdrive confirmed. Dosing.

Rui cared deeply for Shouji. If the best of conditions allowed them, they wouldn't have to do this.

But if he was getting in the way...if Shouji was willing to die for someone like them...

Then when Rui killed him, they wanted to be as unlike themselves as possible. They didn't want to live as Shiraishi Rui knowing that they had done what they're about to do.

Satellizer ready.

Swords drawn and glowing deep purple, Rui charged at Shouji, open arms be damned.

---

"You...!"

Aoi recklessly rushed forward to jab Akira in his chest. Clearly, the taunt had worked, if the way Aina was strafing her attacks around Akira to compensate for Aoi having taken his very obvious bait.

Kanae was struggling. Of all the medallions, Leo's was the only one the Kaiserin hadn't placed yet. Kanae couldn't let her place it, not now!

Once she managed to stand from her crumpled position on the stage, Kanae ran towards the Kaiserin and tackled her to the ground. She scrabbled at the Kaiserin's arms, wanting to take back Leo even as she was pushed back, even as the Kaiserin kept pinning her to the ground...

"Enough!"

...Even as the very tip of the Kaiserin's tail stuck itself through Kanae's chest.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Shouji noticed the swords drawing closer to him, threatening to take his very life at that moment...

...But he cared not.

He leaped toward Rui, throwing his entire self to them, no matter the consequence.

---

"...No!"

Akira's eyes were seeing red. Kanae was... by the Kaiserin... no... No! It can't be!

He froze mid-action due to shock. In response, he felt a painful stab on his chest, and another on his shoulder, but he couldn't care less. He couldn't waste his time here with these people... Kanae... Kanae was...!

"Haaaaaah!"

With a loud roar, he smashed his fist at the dial on his wristband. The ampule was pressed entirely into the ARMOR, delivering all the dose in one go. The gap-lines between his armor plates glow in eerie yellow as huge influx of energy coursed throughout his body like a raging stream.

Energy gathered on each end of his legs. Starting from his knees, the energy swirled down to his toes, forming a spiral pattern that began to spin faster, faster, faster, faster--

BREAKING FINISH

His right kick shot up like a rocket toward Aoi's chest, throwing sonic boom behind him.

 

[Admiral19]

Shouji wasn't moving. He wasn't moving. In any situation like this, he would avoid getting hit with something like this at all costs. What was his problem? And while they were at it, what were they doing? They were getting rid of any obstacles that would be in—no, Shouji wasn't even in the Kaiserin's way. Kanae was the Kaiserin's biggest problem, and right now she's...so why—he will cause problems later down—they were already at the final stage of the plan! Why—He's in your way—He has nothing to do with—!

"AAAAAAH!"

Rui stopped where they were, falling to their knees, clutching their head in their hands. What were they supposed to do? Everything was getting jumbled up in their head, nothing was making sense...and now that they were thinking back, maybe nothing ever did make sense. The Kaiserin was literally inhuman! How could they let that slide?! Stress piled up in their head, in their body, in their heart, until—

With a single bundle of cracks spiderwebbing across their facemask, everything fell apart.

Rui leapt at Shouji again, pinning him down with an immense strength. Staring back at him was a warping, fanged maw, canine in nature. All along their body—and most notably, right over their left eye—flowers were sprouting, bright purple at the edges and dark closer to the center.

But more noticeably than that was that they were shaking.

---

And yet, by the time Aoi was sent flying by Akira's kick, by the time Aina was pushed back by the casual impact of the sound barrier breaking, and even by the time Rui's body began to shift, Leo's medallion was slotted into the platform with the rest of them. The platform itself began to glow a sharp white.

The Kaiserin's smile grew wicked, and she threw the barely-breathing body off the tip of her tail and straight at Akira. "Yes...ah, yes!" Her cries were jubilant, as if she had discovered the fountain of youth. "It's just like what had happened with the Tablet! Now then...to handle this carefully..."

Her hands rested on either side of the platform and braced themselves, and not even seconds later, a great white light engulfed the whole underground area.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Shouji coughed his lungs out, feeling dizzy from the sudden impact. His ARMOR had only managed to dissipate the pain somewhat. However, the thought barely passed his mind when he noticed what he was looking: Rui wasn't looking good, not at all. Even that might be an understatement.

"Rui, what's wrong? Rui!"

He quickly grabbed their head, his fingers touching the maw growing out of their broken helmet, and the flower-- why was there a flower growing on someone's face?!?

"Turn off the transformation! Damn it, turn it off!"

His fist slammed at Rui's wristband. He didn't know whether that could even work, but if he didn't do anything, Rui would be... gone--

---

"Kanae..."

Akira managed to catch Kanae in his arms, but her wound... his hands trembled.

RIDE OUT

The color of his eye slits reverted back to a yellowish glow. Hot steam rushed off from the gap between his plates. Akira's body began to shrink back to its normal size, and at the same time, the plates of his ARMOR shifted back into their previous position, closing in the gaps one after another, until it finally returned back to its basic form. The ampule dial on his wristband was then ejected automatically, the lightweight metal clanking as it bounced off the floor.

He placed his palm on Kanae's chest, pressing on them to stop the bleeding. Or so he remembered from the first-aid book. His mind was in a jumble right now, unable to focus on what he should do. His embrace grew tighter the more he fell into despair.

"Kanae... no, you can't... Enjyuu will kill me if you die... please...!"

White light washed over him, but he didn't pay it any attention. His bloodshot eyes could only see Kanae.

 

[Admiral19]

To describe Rui as not looking good would be to undermine the agony they were going through. Every new inch of bestial matter that grew on their body made the pain worse, every flower that bloomed made it harder and harder for them to resist tearing Shouji to pieces.

The light from the stage's center was blinding. That was a good sign, was it not? They had done their job, and now whatever the Kaiserin was going to use her new power for...yep, they could see her from here; it was as if the person she stabbed through was nonexistent, as if everyone else was nonexistent, as if they were nonexistent.

"I can't."

Rui's monstrous voice trembled in pain and despair, a pathetic sound speaking to the body below.

---

The damned ARMOR system wouldn't let Kanae die just yet. She had just enough energy to shake her head, her face pulled into a grimace as she looked up at Akira. "Motherfucker..."

The light became unbearably bright for another few seconds...

And then something screamed.

The sounds of bones shifting and muscles growing out of control was clear, even to those still recovering from their fights. The Kaiserin spoke rapidly, faster than she had ever spoken to any of the Holders, voice becoming more guttural by the second.

"Aaa, this strength is too much—but it's just what I need! All this power...what were those fools at OLYMPUS thinking?! It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter because this power is mine to have anyhow!"

The scorpion tail that she was using extensively elongated and grew massive. Her height tripled. Chitinous spines dripping with venom began to just out of her back. Fins appeared, some too big to swim with and some too small. Claws and fangs sprouted, sabretooth-like fangs, fangs that would have been far too big for the Kaiserin's mouth if it hadn't been for that also growing rapidly. The occasional hiss and screech and squawk and growl came from her mouth as she was twisted into something that certainly didn't resemble the Kaiserin anymore.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"...Fuck...!"

Shouji couldn't think anymore. In his clouded mind, he pushed his body up and pulled Rui into his embrace. Even if it would end with him getting shredded to pieces... it didn't matter.

He just wanted to feel them one last time.

At the center stage, Akira was somewhat relieved. If Kanae can still throw some insult, then she should be okay. He remembered that the ARMOR system had an effect of strengthening someone's body, perhaps that was the reason why she was still alive even after getting stabbed right in the chest--

No, wait, what about this giant monstrosity?!

"Goddamn, this is your boss? This monster?!?" Akira roared at Aina, pointing his finger at... whatever the Kaiserin had turned into. Was she an Eldriari? But she still had sentience... fuck, what was even happening right now?!

...He should deal with it one step at a time.

"Kanae, fuck, we need to fix that hole... I'm sorry."

He pressed a button on his wristband. Without the ampule's influence, the voice of the system returned back to its usual feminine tone.

ARMOR OFF

He then reached for Kanae's wristband, and then swapped his with hers. There wasn't much time. He didn't have the leisure to ask for consent, so...

Gritting his teeth, he pulled out another ampule dial from his pocket, slotting it into the swapped wristband on Kanae's arm, and then--

--activated it.

INJECTION. CRACKING.

 

[Admiral19]

Claws grew from Rui's fingers and tore at the ARMOR, harsh growling battered Shouji's ears, fanged jaws found his neck and—

Snapped shut. Hard enough that blood spattered onto each petal growing from Rui's body. It took seconds, yet the feeling of flesh giving way beneath teeth felt like it took forever.

Tearstains clouded vibrant red into a runny, muddied hell. They could swear that they heard the Kaiserin laughing from where she was.

In their sorrow, in the fragile embrace they held Shouji in, his blood tasted like ash in their mouth.

---

"We're learning all of this too, you know!" Aina shouted back at Akira. "Unless you and her also knew about this..."

Aoi stood. "Like hell they did!"

Kanae was in no position to resist Akira, but her energy was suddenly reinvigorated with the addition of whatever he gave her. With a fierce growl, Kanae charged toward the pedestal that held the medallions, snatching Leo away and clutching it tight to her chest.

BREAK. OUT. LION.

By the time the warped thing of fur, scale, and chitin went to swat Kanae away with a massive scorpion-like claw, Kanae's body was armored, changed to fit a new lion-like appearance. She took hold of the claw that was prepared to strike her and pushed it upwards, shoving the Kaiserin back with it.

"That," Kanae shouted, pointing at the scorpion tail, "hurt like fuck!"

 

[Ranix Aurus]

It worked. It fucking worked!

Goddamnit, old man, you bastard, it worked!

Akira's emotion had been going into a whiplash throughout the entire ordeal. Kanae had snatched her Leo medallion back from the altar, and it had worked with the modified ARMOR wristband as well. Both the medallion's power and the serum in the ampule seemed to be working side by side, empowering her even further than usual. It was a happy little accident. Though, he couldn't tell how long she would be able to maintain her strength.

He seized the chance to rush over to the altar as well. Not all the medallions were placed there, but his eyes caught sight of a familiar one. His legs brought him as fast as possible toward the Gemini medallion, clutching it in his palm.

That was when he noticed what was happening farther behind. Shouji's ARMOR was wrecked, with parts on his neck easily broken through by rows of sharp fangs. Blood were dripping down ceaselessly like a river. Death--

Death seemed imminent.

Shouji was in a blur. He was in pain, but he was used to it. What was a bit more pain? He was hurt more from seeing Rui in this state. If he was gone-- if he was no longer there, would they really succumb into this curse? His body was growing cold, he was losing his senses, his eyes were starting to grow heavy, but he was indignant.

He couldn't leave them yet, not like... this...

"Oi! You bastard!"

A piercing howl smashed into his ears from afar. That annoying guy's voice... he didn't want to hear that in his last moment...

"Goddamnit, don't die just yet! Live!"

As if by instinct, Shouji raised his trembling hand with difficulty. Something hard crashed into his palm, which he grasped like a lifeline. It was small, circular, cold to the touch. A certain shape was engraved on it. He didn't need to see what it was.

It had been his partner for so long.

His ARMOR seemed to know what he was thinking about. It broke off into shards of light, leaving his mortal body behind.

"Rui... I'm sorry..." Shouji whispered, his voice weak, a dying candlelight choking on his own blood, and yet his grin grew wider, full of defiance.

"...I'm not giving up just yet... not on you... not on our promise! I'm taking you with me, whether you like it or not!"

"Suit... up!"

ARMOR ON

Reunited with Gemini once more, his wristband shone with powerful light, engulfing him in a veil of blinding sparkle. But it didn't stop there just yet. The light grew even bigger than usual, swallowing Rui's wretched form into it as well. At that moment, they had become one, both figuratively and...

TWIN SHOOTING STARS

 

[Admiral19]

Rui let go of Shouji's neck as if their tongue had been burned, and they watched as light expanded around both of their bodies. The horrid shape Rui had taken fell away, and...

The next time they blinked, they were joined with Shouji, synched in a way that the two of them haven't been before.

"Shouji?!" They exclaimed in surprise before anything else. Their pain had faded away almost entirely, replaced with a certainty that they haven't felt in...gods, how long?

The Kaiserin roared, infuriated by everything that had just happened. Goddammit, how did Kanae get her medallion back that fast? How did Shouji and Rui meld into Gemini like that? And more than that, was Rui going to turn on her now? Why? Goddammit, why?!

In fury, she thrashed her claws about, crashing into the walls and causing rocks to fall. One such rock would have crushed Akira had it not been for Kanae punching straight through it until it was crumbled into more harmless pieces.

"Everyone out!" She cried out to everyone in the cave. "We can't fight in here, or we'll run out of space! Take the medallions and fucking run!"

 

[Ranix Aurus]

He couldn't believe it. This was what happened before with that annoying guy and his sister. He thought that he wasn't worthy, that that guy was the real owner of the medallion, but somehow, he had managed to access the full power of Gemini. A sense of euphoria coursed throughout his soul. But even that was mere trifle compared to his current joy.

Rui was with him. Literally.

It was difficult to explain, or even think about. They were their own person, but at the same time, they were one, under Gemini's power. He could sense what Rui wanted to do, and he suspect Rui was feeling the same as well. As such, he felt the reluctance when facing the Kaiserin, even in her monstrous form. He felt like he could force Rui to follow his will if he wanted to, but he didn't. He couldn't. That wasn't what Gemini was about.

"What's that guy doing? Get moving!" Akira yelled at the black-and-white ARMOR as he grabbed whatever medallions he could get in that short amount of time. The symbols of goat and water, Capricorn and Aquarius. He had only managed to snatch two as the rest were taken by the others. He then bolted out toward the entrance as the cave collapsed above them, sending huge rocks down like rain.

"Rui... I won't hurt her, if you don't want to," Shouji said in his mind. "But help me carve a way out, at least."

In his hand was another medallion-- Cancer. Rui's. He gripped tightly on it before placing it on his-- on their-- wristband. The system flared alive, echoing in its mechanical voice.

EXTENSION: CANCER ARMS.

The light materialized Cancer's pair of swords, which he grabbed with strange familiarity. At the same time, another layer of armor, a breastplate and armguards with Cancer's own patterns, latched into their body.

"Let me borrow your power, Rui! Satellizer, set up!"

SATELLIZER READY

The swords in his hands glowed with energy as he unleashed them upward, slicing through the rocks and blowing them away into the walls, making the path safe for the others to trudge upon, at least for the moment.

 

[Admiral19]

Rui remained silent for a moment, watching Aoi, Aina, and Kanae run out with the remaining medallions. They knew what Shouji wanted just as much as he knew what they wanted.

And Rui...well, they just wanted Shouji to be safe. So...

"...I'll help you keep us safe."

They let Shouji slice a path through the collapsing rock, clearing a path for the two of them as well as the others to move. As if on cue, the Kaiserin screeched, footsteps thundering as the beast trudged up the way they came.

"We need a plan!" Kanae shouted over the noise, her mind racing. "I don't think we can just reverse this!"

"If we had Alfred, we could think of something," Aoi screamed, "but he probably fucked off somewhere far off with Haru and Youmo to watch the "New World"!"

Kanae winced, then thought a little harder. "Hey! Akira! We need to find somewhere to hide so we can call Genki!"