(The Cheetah Kaijin reaches down and picks Sigma up by the neck. The masked heroine struggles furiously, attempting to break the monster’s grip. But then, with a quick motion, the feline villainess closes her hand, and a gross snapping noise is heard.)
Kyôko: (Shocked) NO—!!!
(The Cheetah Kaijin lets go of Sigma, but rather than slump lifelessly to the ground, Sigma simply steps back slowly, watching on surprised as the monster glares at her limp, broken wrist in anger.)
Cheetah Kaijin: (Roaring) AAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!
(Sigma spots a deep would on the creature’s forearm, and makes the connection.)
Sigma: (thinking) So she was the fake Kyôko!
(Tire-Tora runs up to assist his comrade.)
Tire-Tora: Rêdagan-Cheetah! Are you alright!?
Rêdagan-Cheetah: (Growling) Grrrr… Sigma! This isn’t over yet!
Sigma: You got that right!
(Sigma strikes a battle pose, beckoning towards the Kaijin.)
Sigma: Let’s finish this here.
(Rêdagan-Cheetah frowns, holds up her wounded arm, and grips her fist tightly. Her injuries are amazingly healed in a few seconds, and her arm is as good as new. Rêdagan-Cheetah flexes her fingers, gripping them together in a fist and throwing her arm down by her side, extending a large three-clawed slashing weapon from her forearm.)
Rêdagan-Cheetah: CHIIIIII-TAAAAAHHHHH!!!
Sigma: (Gulping) Actually, on second thought…
(Rêdagan-Cheetah dashes at Sigma once again at top speed and proceeds to smack her left and right, slashing at her and causing sparks to fly. Tire-Tora folds his arms and watches on, while Kyôko decides she has to act. She searches for her gun and, upon finding it, picks it up and opens fire on the Kaijin. Rêdagan-Cheetah frowns and changes course, heading right for the meddling human. But as she’s about to sink her claws in to the CIA Agent, the roar of an engine is heard as the Tsunami appears seemingly out of nowhere to bash her aside. Weakened, Sigma leaps into the air and lands on her trusty motorcycle, soon joined by Kyôko. They do a 180 and quickly take off into the distance as Tire-Tora and Rêdagan-Cheetah watch on.)
Rêdagan-Cheetah: (Growling) If they think they’re home-free… they’re dead wrong! Big Cat?
Tire-Tora: (Grinning evilly) Let’s go, Little Cat!
(Rêdagan-Cheetah & Tire-Tora are soon making super-fast tracks as well.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kamen Rider Sigma
Episode 8: Shadow of the Dark
("Yami No Kage")
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Sigma, with Kyôko holding on tightly, cruises through the countryside. It has now turned completely dark, and the bright headlights of Sigma’s Rider Machine illuminate the path ahead. Suddenly, two familiar voices are heard, and Sigma glances into one of the rearview mirrors.)
Rêdagan-Cheetah: CHIIIIIIIIIIIII-TAAAAAHHHHH!!!
Tire-Tora: TOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!
Sigma: (Thinking) Oh great. That’ll teach me for wanting to keep the fight going. But let’s see if they can keep up with THIS!
(Sigma guns the engine and accelerates even faster. Rêdagan-Cheetah raises her left arm, and several red LED numbers appear on a the side of the large Radar Gun that is her hand. The numbers blink and change quickly, before settling on the number “235". Rêdagan-Cheetah then rockets ahead in an extra burst of speed, soon running parallel with Sigma’s vehicle. She moves closer and closer to the Tsunami, until she swipes right at the motorcyclists. Sigma and Kyôko duck out of the way, and Sigma responds with a swift kick to the monster’s gut, flinging her away from the motorcycle. Tire-Tora, unable to match either of the other two in speed, pulls one of his Tiger Tires from his back and flings it right towards the escaping heroines. But Sigma easily outmaneuvers, and soon leaves the mutant feline duo in the dust.)
***
(A short time later, an exhausted but otherwise okay Maya & Kyôko have paused at a roadside rest stop to take a break after the evening’s events and recollect. Maya sits with her arms resting on her legs, while the other woman stands, arms folded.)
Maya: (Sighing) Well, that was close.
Kyôko: (Gruffly) I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that those two are behind the recent murders of those SOUL executives
Maya: (Tilting head) Mmmm. (Apologetic) By the way, sorry about your car…
Kyôko: (Shrugging) Nah, don’t worry. That one wasn’t actually mine. And I don’t think SOUL will really mind either.
Maya: (Nodding) Okay. Well, now what?
(Kyôko looks down at her, frowning.)
Kyôko: “We” don’t do anything. I haven’t even gotten a chance to talk with you because of all this commotion.
Maya: Huh? What do you mean?
Kyôko: The original reason I wanted to speak with you was to try, as nicely as possible, to tell you to stay out of the way, understand?
Maya: (Angrily) What?
(Maya stands up to face the older woman, silently grumbling about being a good deal shorter than Kyôko.)
Maya: In case you forgot, I just saved your butt back there!
Kyôko: Technically, I saved you, buying you time to summon your bike and then get us out of there.
Maya: Well, yeah, but—
Kyôko: Whatever, now that Geier is on to me I can’t waste any more time on you.
(Maya is about to interject, but the other woman keeps talking.)
Kyôko: I’ll need to get in touch with my superiors and figure out the best plan of action. I know there’s some connection between Geier and SOUL, but what it is exactly? (Shaking head) In any case, we’ll have to break off our meeting for now, Ryûsaki.
(Kyôko pulls out her cell phone and begins to walk away.)
Maya: (Seriously) Hey, wait a minute.
Kyôko: (Rolling eyes) What is it?
Maya: Just out of curiosity, how many other people know that I’m really…
Kyôko: … Sigma? Well… enough.
(And with that, she turns back on her way, leaving Maya alone in the darkness. Maya cross her arms and frowns.)
Maya: Jeez! What’s her deal, anyway?
***
(Before long, Maya is back on the road home.)
Maya: (Thinking) Kôhei-kun mentioned something about SOUL seeming suspicious, but even still, something just isn’t adding up here. First the company-founding top executives are being murdered left and right, probably by Geier, and then that CIA agent appears posing as a SOUL employee and gets impersonated, by Geier again. Then Tony the Tiger shows up, and I know Geier is definitely behind him and his little friend. So what’s the connection? Why is Geier interested in this SOUL group anyway? Perhaps more importantly, how does that CIA lady know about me being Sigma? Who else knows?
(Maya soon arrives back at the “Kôhiimame Café”, and within seconds of walking through the door is subject to an interrogation by Mikoto.)
Mikoto: Maya! How did—
Maya: (Putting hands up) Hold on a minute Mikoto, where’s Obachan?
Mikoto: She went to sleep an hour
or two ago. It’s nearly
Maya: (Groaning) She did? (Despondent) Oh, great!
Mikoto: (Worried) Why? Is something wrong?
Maya: (Emotional) Yeah! I wanted to ask her if she saved me any leftovers!
Mikoto: (Rolling eyes) They’re in the fridge.
Maya: (Squealing) Ooooooooooh!
(Maya runs to the kitchen, and Mikoto folds her arms and follows. Mikoto rests her elbows on the counter as Maya rummages through the refrigerator.)
Mikoto: So what happened with Keiji-san, huh?
(Maya takes out a plastic container and scrutinizes its contents.)
Maya: Kôhei-kun? What about him?
Mikoto: (Grinning) Well… How’d your date go?
Maya: (Flatly) Mikoto, we didn’t go out on a date.
Mikoto: (Disappointed) Oh. Well, what did you do then?
Maya: (Putting hands on hips) Let’s see— first I made a fool of myself going undercover for our mutual friend’s little investigation. Then I was held at gunpoint, ambushed by Geier, beaten senseless…
Mikoto: Oh. (Raising eyebrows) And Keiji-san?
Maya: (Grouchy) Who knows? He was nowhere to be found… speaking of which, where is he anyway?
***
(Kôhei is sitting at his desk back in his dark apartment. A single fluorescent light shines next to him, but the majority of his face is lit up by the soft, bluish glow of his PC monitor. His sleeves rolled up, his eyes shot, his head resting against one hand as he clicks endlessly through a series of documents and files, his pupils moving ever-so-slightly as he scans the screen for some clue. A desktop clock nearby shows that it is nearly 2 in the morning. Kôhei reaches over for his coffee mug and he precedes to knock back the rest of its contents.)
Kôhei: (Thinking) This thing is driving me crazy… what is going on with that Seul lady? How can she possibly have been born when she was and still look that good? Either she’s had some major plastic surgery, or she’s just aged very, very well—
(Kôhei shakes his head and tousles his hair.)
Kôhei: (Thinking) No, there’s got to be some logical answer to this! There has to be some mistake— but that’s the only record on her age Kanagawa could find, so there’s no way to cross-reference it. But that just can’t be right… it just can’t be…
***
(In another dark room somewhere, Risa Sylvia-Seul stands watching a large screen showing blurry, distorted footage of the battle that occurred earlier in the evening. She points a remote up as the screen shows a close-up of Kamen Rider Sigma, and pauses the film.)
Risa: (Slowly) Sigma…
(Risa smiles as she stops the video and the screen fades to black.)
***
Where… where am I
“What’s your name?”
My name… my name… I don’t know my name…
“You must have a name.”
My name… I… I don’t know…
“Think. Try to remember..”.
M… m… Maya…
“Maya? Your name is Maya?”
Where am I? What happened?
“You’re lucky to be alive. You had a close one back there.”
Alive? I’m alive?
“You sure look it! Come on, let’s get you inside…”
***
(The next day. It’s raining, and the sky is a gloomy mix of grey and black. Maya, dressed in tight-fitting blue pajamas and lying beneath her sheets, grips her pillow tightly, and then jumps up with a start.)
Maya: (Softly, frightened) What.. what the heck was that?
(As Maya reflects on the strange voices that permeated her dreams, Mikoto, who had risen earlier and is fumbling with some trinket, and looks over at her friend.)
Mikoto: Maya? Are you okay?
Maya: Huh? Uh, yeah. I’m fine.
Mikoto: (Curious) What were you talking about?
Maya: (Shaking hand) Oh, nothing. Just a bad dream.
(Maya pulls the sheets off of her, gets up and puts her feet down and into her slippers. She stretches, yawning, and heads out the door of the girls’ shared room. She’s soon walking down to the kitchen, but as she does, Junko leans out from the doorway and spots her.)
Junko: (Cheerful) Oh, Maya-chan! Ohayô Gozaimasu!
Maya: (Tired) Ohayô Gozaimasu, Obachan.
Junko: You’d better get dressed. There are some people here to see you!
Maya: (Curious) Who?
Junko: (Shrugging) I don’t know, but they said they want to talk.
Maya: (Thinking) They want to talk to me?
***
(Before long, Maya is riding in the backseat of a stretch limo, with two towering, sun-glasses-wearing bodyguards on either side of her. Sitting directly across from her is none other than Risa Sylvia-Seul.)
Maya: (Looking around) What is all this anyway? Who are you?
Risa: (Crossing legs) Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Risa Sylvia-Seul, CEO of the SOUL Foundation.
Maya: (Shocked) SOUL!?
Risa: (Nodding) Indeed. I’m glad that we could meet at last… Miss “Mitsukuri”, was it? Or perhaps I should stick with your real name, Ryûsaki Maya.
Maya: (Rolling eyes) Uh, right. Obviously you have the wrong person, because I neither know you or know why you’d want to meet me.
(Risa smiles, shifting her position.)
Risa: My dear, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You know exactly why I want to meet you… after all, you are the famous Kamen Rider Sigma.
Maya: (Shocked) What!?
(Maya looks around, flailing her arms about.)
Maya: Why is it that everyone suddenly knows who I am!?
Risa: (Waving hand) Oh please, it’s not like you don’t make it obvious. Besides, no one here really cares about you per se… I’m actually much more interested in those who you’ve been fighting.
Maya: Oh?
Risa: (Slyly) Yes… the ones you call “Geier”.
Maya: (Crossing arms) I don’t know who you think you are, but any “interest” in Geier is likely to bring you nothing but trouble. In case you weren’t aware, they’re highly dangerous.
Risa: (Sighing) Oh yes, I’m aware. They’ve already killed some of my own people.
Maya: And you think you won’t be next?
Risa: (Frowning) No, I don’t.
Maya: (Narrowing eyes) Mind telling me what’s the connection between SOUL & Geier? There’s more going on here than just random killing.
Risa: Really, that’s none of your business.
Maya: (Shouting) Oh, I think it is! You show up at my door, drag me along to go on some pleasure drive… (Angrily) when I could be eating breakfast… snidely tell me you know who I am and then tell me this is all none of my business? Just who do you think you are? I don’t think any of you know what you’re really talking about!
Risa: (Coldly) No, I don’t know what you’re going on about, but I know perfectly well what I’m talking about. I had decided to take you along in hopes that maybe, as a Kaizô-Ningen yourself, you would understand the nature of our work.
Maya: (Furious) WHAT!? What does that have to do with anything!? You’re—
Risa: (Snapping) But it seems you don’t! Now… get out of my sight.
Maya: (Snapping back) Oh yeah? Make me!
(Maya is soon tossed right out the door, landing hard on her backside as the limo speeds off. She gets up, dusting herself off with one hand and holding her back with the other.)
Maya: (Gritting teeth) Owww… I’ve just about had it with all these people running off before they give me any answers!
***
(Maya soon returns to the “Kôhiimame Café”, and is surprised to find a familiar face sitting at the counter. It’s Kanagawa, casually chatting with Junko over a cup of coffee. Or at least attempting casual chat.)
Junko: (Continuing) … I mean, how was I to know the guy wanted to marry me, you know?
Kanagawa: (Nervously) Uh, yeah. Say, when is Ryûsaki-san supposed to come back?
Maya: (Tired) Right here, Keiji-san.
(Maya strolls up besides Kanagawa and takes a seat.)
Kanagawa: Ryûsaki-san! Kurobe-san sent me to ask how things went at SOUL.
Maya: He did, huh? (Thinking) That’s Kôhei-kun’s style for sure… (Aloud, playing dumb) Well, um, I learned a few things, but nothing you probably don’t already know. I did get to meet with the CEO, and I agree that she’s an unusual character, but…
Kanagawa: (Nodding) I see. This whole thing has really been driving Kurobe-san up the wall. You ought to pay him a visit sometime and talk some sense into him.
Maya: (Under breath) Talk sense into Kôhei-kun? I’d like to see that…
Kanagawa: (Curious) Huh?
Maya: (Smiling, innocently) Oh, nothing!
Kanagawa: (Nodding slowly) By the way… what do the words “Coeur Noir” mean to you?
Maya: (Tilting head) “Coeur Noir”? I dunno. It’s French, right?
Kanagawa: (Nodding) Yeah. Well, thanks anyway, Ryûsaki-san.
Maya: (Shrugging) No problem.
(Kanagawa puts down some coins on the counter, and stands up.)
Kanagawa: (Bowing) Thanks for the coffee, Obasan.
Junko: You’re very welcome!
(Kanagawa turns to leave, just as Mikoto walks in, a towel draped over her shoulders to dry her still-wet hair. She spots the young man leaving and something in her eyes light up.)
Mikoto: Hey, Maya… who was that?
Maya: Oh, him? He’s a friend of Kôhei-kun’s.
Mikoto: (Intrigued) Really?
Junko: Maya, who were those people who wanted to meet with you?
Maya: (Chuckling, embarrassed) Oh, them? Old colleagues… uh…. from school. Yeah.
Junko: Really? That was nice of them to stop by just to visit you.
Maya: Er, yeah…
(Maya giggles uneasily. Junko just smiles, but somehow senses there’s more that Maya isn’t telling her.)
***
(Kôhei is back in “Eight Hand Saburo’s”, sitting across from Shishi as usual. But this time, the cool, calm and collected face of Kôhei is replaced by a miserable, weary, depressed and rain-drenched one. His informant, noticing he’s not drinking anything, silently offers him a swig of his liquor, which Kôhei declines.)
Shishi: You’re taking all this awful hard, Detective. I warned you that getting mixed up with SOUL and Geier would take its toll.
Kôhei: (Agitated) Shishi Shigeru, I never recall you once saying that before…
Shishi: (Shrugging) Then let this be the first time.
Kôhei: (Impatiently) Listen, I’m not here to be lectured to. I want information. Fast. Everything you know about the chairman of the SOUL Corporation. Where she comes from, who her parents are, what kind of hair products she uses— I don’t care. Anything you got. I’ll pay.
Shishi: Sounds to me like someone’s forming something of an obsession.
Kôhei: (Ecstatic) I’m not obsessed! If I was obsessed I would do nothing but talk about her all day! I wouldn’t spend any time thinking about Risa Ryûsaki… oh, no…
(Kôhei puts his head in his hands, and mopes.)
Kôhei: (Sulking) You’re right, Shishi. All I’ve been thinking about since yesterday is that Seul lady. What’s wrong with me? I can’t even keep my crushes straight… (looking up, spoken inner-monologue) Then again, I don’t have a crush on her. Not like Ryûsaki-san.
Shishi: (Sighing) Well, I think you should just take a break for a while then. Get your mind off the case—
Kôhei: (Snappy) Off the case!? Off the case!? I can’t get off this case! It’s—
(Suddenly Kôhei’s cell phone rings, and he pulls it out quickly, putting it to his ear.)
Kôhei: Yes?
Voice from Phone: Kurobe, you’re off the case.
(The sound of thunder crackling across the sky is heard. Kôhei puts down the phone, speechless.)
***
“Maya… I want to show you something. This is what I’ve been working on
for the past 30 or so years of my life. You’re a biochemistry student, so you
should be able to understand what this means.”
‘The Secrets of Life through Death’?
“Contained in that notebook are the chronicles of my research. My
struggles, triumphs, defeats, and tragedies even…”
You have a lot of determination, Doctor…
“You think so? Haha, you know, my wife would have said the same thing.
And my daughter… my daughter would have as well.”
How old is you daughter?
“She’s… you know, I can’t remember. Can you believe it? I just can’t seem
to recall it. A shame. That’s the kind of father I’ve been though. I spend more
time with my work than my family— such is the life of us scientists some times.
You’ve aspired to be a scientist, haven’t you?”
I… yes, I have.
“Take my advice Maya: if you’re going to have a family, put them first! I don’t want you to end up like I did…”
***
(Maya suddenly awakens lying on her bed once more. She looks up at a clock to see that it is already nearly 8 pm. She wipes the sweat from her brow and shakes her head disbelievingly.)
Maya: (Thinking) Seriously, what is up with these dreams I’ve been having? Ever since this whole SOUL thing started. SOUL… I suppose I need to look there to figure out once and for all what this really is all about…
(Maya gets up and puts on her slippers once more. As she walks out of her room, she nearly bumps into Junko.)
Junko: Maya-chan! You’re finally up. Would you like some dinner?
Maya: (Shaking hand) No thanks, Obachan, I’ll grab something on the way home.
Junko: You’re going out?
Maya: (Cryptically) Yeah… there’s something I need to look into.
Junko: (Cheerfully) Well, take care! Don’t stay out too late.
Maya: (Grinning) Hey, relax, I’m a big girl now. By the way, where is Mikoto?
Junko: Oh, she left a half hour or so ago. I don’t know what for, but she was in a hurry.
Maya: (Shrugging, sarcastically) Probably wanted to hit the clubs early…
***
(Meanwhile, Kôhei sits in the late evening traffic, a determined and slightly psychotic look on his face.)
Kôhei: (Thinking) I can’t believe this! I just can’t believe it! They can’t take me off the case, not now, not when I’m getting so close!
(He pauses, thinking some more.)
Kôhei: (Thinking) Then again, Shishi didn’t exactly tell me anything back there. I guess this makes up for that time when those bills I slipped him were really Monopoly money!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(The SOUL Foundation’s massive central complex. All is quiet, save for the chirping of crickets, the low hum of the many lampposts, and the sound of the fancy illuminated fountains flowing. Under the cover of darkness, a slim female figure scurries along, keeping her head down to avoid being spotted by the security guards silently patrolling the complex’s perimeter. She makes it all the way to a large, well-trimmed row of hedges, and slinks down to the ground, slowly crawling along on her stomach. As she moves along, she stays close to one of the smaller, outermost buildings well distanced from the central tower. But before long she reaches a grated vent in the side of this building, and with some skillful prying thanks to a small collapsible crowbar, she pulls it right off and gingerly places it aside. She then slips into the opening, pulls out a flashlight, and starts crawling along a long ventilation shaft. After going left, right, up and down for what seems like an eternity, she comes to yet another grating, which she kicks out swiftly. She then slides out and drops to the ground, the sound of her heels knocking on the metal floor below her. She waits a moment in the darkness, holding her breath, before activating her flashlight again. But as soon as she points it up, she sees… the grinning face of Maya, dressed casually compared to Kyôko’s tight leather cat suit.)
Kyôko: (Shocked) Gah!
Maya: (Waving) Hey!
Kyôko: (Surprised) Ryûsaki! What are you doing here?
Maya: Probably for the same reason you’re here.
(She looks Kyôko up and down.)
Maya: (Sarcastically) Hey, is that the standard-issue CIA uniform?
Kyôko: (Rolling eyes) How’d you get past the guards? And the security devices?
Maya: How’d you?
Kyôko: (Putting hands up) Okay, okay, I get the point. Now why are you here?
Maya: I came looking for answers. Let’s just say I’ve gotten in over my head on this thing, and there’s no turning back now.
(The older woman is slightly puzzled by Maya’s mixing of expressions.)
Kyôko: Okay… well, there is much more going on here than I think you’re aware of. This could even turn into an international crisis if I don’t figure out what’s going on fast. As for you though, you better get out of—
Maya: (Slyly) You’re starting to sound more and more like your evil twin!
(But Maya is silenced as Kyôko puts a finger to her mouth.)
Kyôko: (Whispering) Not so loud!
(Maya shrugs an apology, but grabs the other woman’s shoulder when Kyôko turns away. She is about to speak, but Maya interrupts.)
Maya: (Seriously) Look, I know you don’t want me tagging along with you. Maybe you don’t want me to be involved in any of this at all. I don’t know why you feel that way, but it’s too late for that, got it? I’ve gotten in too deep in this whole thing, and I have to find out what’s going on here, okay?
(Kyôko stands silently for a moment, but then relents.)
Kyôko: Just stay behind me, okay? And if I tell you something, you do it. Got that, kiddo?
(Maya grins and follows Kyôko. The two young women are soon traveling down a long corridor somewhere below SOUL’s complex. Kyôko shines the light about as Maya glances around behind her.)
Maya: (Whispering) Hey, Fujiwara-san?
Kyôko: (Whispering) What?
Maya: (Whispering) That stuff your double said… you mentioned most of it was true.
Kyôko: (Whispering) Oh brother… okay, I admit most of that was a little harsh. The only part of it that is really true is that I think you should stay out of all this. And I feel that way only because I’ve seen this happen before.
Maya: (Whispering) You have? When?
(Kyôko pauses for a long time.)
Kyôko: (Whispering) A long time ago, to someone I didn’t think I cared about at the time. But… I did care about them, and I never want to see that happen again, to anyone.
(Maya eyes the other woman curiously, but remains silent. Before long they come upon a doorway with a sign nearby reading “RESTRICTED ZONE. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY”.)
Kyôko: (Whispering) We’re getting closer.
(The two continue along until they come upon… a dead end.)
Maya: (Disappointed) Huh!? What the—!? Did we go the right way?
Kyôko: Calm down. I’m sure…
(The CIA agent suddenly notices a small, blinking red light on the wall.)
Kyôko: (Yelling) Look out!
Maya: Huh?
(Kyôko dives out of the way just as Maya looks down to see the floor drop out from underneath her.)
Maya: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
(The younger girl drops and slides down a narrow shaft. Kyôko rolls her eyes and dives in after her. Our heroines are soon heading straight for a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly their slide is cut short as they crash on the floor of some kind of small, empty carpeted room. Maya & Kyôko rise up and brush themselves off, glowering as they see none other than Risa Sylvia-Seul, standing with her arms crossed, smiling slyly.)
Kyôko: (Gritting teeth) Seul.
Risa: Well, well, well, nice of you to… drop in, Chisako. Or should I say Fujiwara Kyôko, right? I must commend you for putting on quite the show. I was really impressed when I learned of your true nature, I must say.
(Risa glances at Maya.)
Risa: (Smugly) And you... Isn’t it past your bed time?
Maya: (Upset) Put a sock in it Blondie, and get on with it!
Risa: Now, now, there’s no need to get angry. You two should feel honored, as you’re about to be among the proud few who will witness history in the making!
Kyôko: What do you mean?
Risa: You’re about to see the truth! You’re about to see the culmination of years of hard work and struggle! You’re about to see… the future face of humankind!
Maya: (Unimpressed) Oh? And what is that? Or I suppose it’s “none of our business”?
Risa: (Ignoring her) Look out that window.
(Maya and Kyôko turn and walk over to the large window on one side of the room. They stare down into a massive hanger-sized room filled with guards, scientists, technicians, computers and machinery of all kinds. Wires and tubes cover the floor, and personnel run about around the two large, liquid-filled glass tubes seen last episode. Maya watches this skeptically, but then she spots what’s actually in the tubes, and gasps, pressing her hands against the window. Risa, upon seeing this, smiles devilishly.)
Maya: (Shocked) No!
Risa: Look familiar, Sigma? You’ve seen those two before.
(Sure enough, the occupants of the two glass containers are revealed to be none other than…)
Maya: (Fearfully) Kugigan-Harinezumi & Yôsetsu-Shimauma! But—
(Risa cuts her off as she strolls over, admiring the scene below.)
Risa: How? Oh, you weren’t as thorough in destroying them as you may have thought, and there was more than enough left of them for us to salvage, and rebuild. Better, stronger, more powerful than ever before. And you, my dears, are about to witness their revival!
(Maya turns towards her, shocked.)
Maya: But why!? Are you mad? Those things are dangerous murderers!
Risa: (Smugly) Not unless I tell them to. They’re both under my control now.
Maya: You wish! The moment you revive those things, they’ll kill everyone here!
Risa: (Scoffing) Please child, you clearly have no concept of technological advancement.
Kyôko: What’s going on here, Seul? I think it’s time you gave us some answers.
Risa: (Shrugging) Well, why not? Since neither of you will be walking out of here alive tonight. Your suspicions were partly correct, Ryûsaki— there is a connection between Geier & SOUL. However, it is purely superficial. They unintentionally provided us with the “raw materials”, we provided the technology to revive them, and in exchange, they took care of a few… compromising elements for me.
Kyôko: (Grimly) Those senior executives. Having been founding members along with your father, they would never have gone along with this project. They would have felt it was unethical to use the company in such a manner, so you had Geier kill them… And what about “Coeur Noir”? Where does that name fit into the picture?
Maya: (Thinking) That’s the name Kanagawa-san mentioned.
(But Risa simply looks puzzled at Kyôko’s last words.)
Risa: (Confused) I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never heard that name before.
Kyôko: Oh yeah? There were letters from him on all of the murdered executives.
Risa: (Shrugging) If you want answers to that, go ask Geier. I simply wanted those old fools out of the way so I could proceed with this most… fascinating experiment.
Maya: One thing I don’t understand… Geier shouldn’t have any need for your technology. They’ve probably got stuff a hundred times more advanced already! I know for a fact they can revive defeated monsters with no problem. So why did they come to you?
Risa: Perhaps, but there is far more at SOUL in which they are interested in. This is merely… an experiment. But it will also be the end of our deal. Once those creatures are revived, they will serve me, and they will be merely the first in a very long line…
Maya: So you want to make your own private army of murderous zombie monsters? I thought you were pretty nutty before, but now I can see you’re totally crazy!
Risa: I don’t expect either of you to understand. Just like my father, you’re all ignorant fools blind to the true possibilities!
Maya: (Snorting) And on top of all this, you’ve got daddy issues!
Risa: (Furious) SILENCE! You don’t know what kind of a man my father was, and you certainly don’t know that he’s guilty of more than his share.
Maya: What do you mean? Guilty of what?
Risa: ENOUGH!
(Risa pulls out a pistol, pointing it directly at the other two. She then walks over to her desk, and presses a button on the speaker phone.)
Risa: Is everything ready?
Voice: Yes ma’am.
Risa: Good. Then begin.
(Risa turns to Maya & Kyôko.)
Risa: Watch closely, ladies. You’re about witness the resurrection.
(Maya and Kyôko turn to see scientists taking their places, and technicians scrambling about as steam pours out from under the tubes. Chemicals drain through the pipes and tubes, and electricity crackles through the wires leading into the Kaijin’s bodies. Their eyes illuminate, although Kugigan-Harinezumi’s left eye has been replaced by a glowing red light, and Yôsetsu-Shimauma’s left eye now sports a glowing green lamp. Additionally, the Kaijin’s battered, burnt and injured bodies have been retrofitted with all sorts of metal attachments and armor plates, stitches and alterations, scars and implants. Soon enough the liquids have been emptied from the tubes, and the two Kaijin stand silently, their chests heaving as they breath for the first time in what seems like forever. As Kyôko & Maya watch on grimly, Risa nearly loses herself in elation.)
Risa: (Excitedly) It worked! I’ve done it! At long last, I’ve done it!
Maya: (Turning around) You’ve done nothing! Those are things that shouldn’t even exist!
Risa: (Snarling) Shut up! I’ll soon show you just what a genius I am!
(Risa presses the speaker phone button one more.)
Risa: Alright. Release them. And send them up here. (Sneering) They’ve got work to do.
(Maya and Kyôko simultaneously gulp, sweat pouring down their foreheads as their minds work to find some way out of this. But they soon have bigger things to worry about, as a frantic voice on the other end of the line shouts back.)
Voice: Wait! Something’s wrong! The monitors are all going haywire!
Risa: (Angrily) What is it?
Voice: The levels are all off the scale! They— oh no…
(Maya looks down and watches as the two Geier Kaijin slam against the class tubes confining them.)
Kugigan-Harinezumi: KUGI-KUGI-KUGI-KUGI-KUUUUUGIIIII!!!
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: SSSSSSSSSHHHHIIIIIMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!!
(Scientists and technicians stumble back in fear as the monsters smash right through the glass.)
Risa: (Yelling) ABORT! ABORT THE OPERATION! SECU—
(And then all Hell breaks loose. Emergency sirens blare, and the room fills with red light. SOUL personnel are thrown left and right, bashed across the face, and strangled to death. Steel doors descend downward, blocking the exits and trapping the fleeing humans. The guards rush to form a wall between the fleeing scientists and the monsters, and proceed to open fire. But the bullets just bounce off the cybernetic nightmares harmlessly. Kugigan-Harinezumi returns fire with a volley of nails, cutting down the guards while Yôsetsu-Shimauma activates her arc welder arm, and scorches the others. The screams and shouts are soon drowned out by the sounds of killing and alarms.)
Kyôko: (Turning around, yelling) Seul! For heaven’s sake, open the doors! They’re being slaughtered!
(Risa is silent. Maya, unable to take anymore, turns towards the SOUL CEO.)
Maya: (Yelling) What are you doing!?
Risa: (Softly) A failure… oh well, there’s always next time.
(Maya’s voice grows steadily louder and angrier.)
Maya: Next time? NEXT TIME!? Don’t you realize what’s going on!? (Screaming) YOUR PEOPLE ARE ALL GETTING KILLED!
Risa: (Shrugging) Not my problem. This will be dealt with later.
(Maya snaps, and runs right for Risa, who opens fire. Maya leaps out of the way and gives Kyôko a chance pull out her own gun and shoot the other woman’s weapon out of her hand. Risa turns to run out the door, but is trapped as a metal emergency door descends down. Maya gets up, gritting her teeth. She runs to Risa and grabs her by the neck, pinning her against the wall.)
Maya: (Eyes blazing) It’s all your fault this happened!
(She raises her fist.)
Risa: (Fearfully) Wait! Please! This wasn’t supposed to happen! This wasn’t part of the deal!
Maya: I warned you about messing around with Geier! Now it looks like they’ve double-crossed you! Geier was just using you all along, get it? You’re nothing but worthless trash, both to me and to them! If anyone deserves to suffer now, it’s YOU!
(Maya slams Risa against the wall again, and drops her to the floor. She then turns her attention back to the window, and the carnage below.)
Maya: (Angrily) Geier… I can’t forgive you for this, ever!
(Maya assumes her Henshin pose, as Risa scrambles away cowering.)
Maya: (Furious) HENSHIN… SIGMA!!!
(Maya changes in a flash of light, and Kamen Rider Sigma smashes right through the window onto the scene below. By now, nearly everyone is dead or dying, and only the two Geier Kaijin remain standing. They glare at their old enemy, and sneer proudly)
Kugigan-Harinezumi: KUUUUUUUUGI! Well, if it isn’t Kamen Rider Sigma!
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: Nice of you to join us again! SSSSSSSSSHHHHIIIIIMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Sigma: (Angrily) Shut it! You two are soon going to be wishing you never came back.
Kugigan-Harinezumi: (Scoffing) Heh! Doubt it! Thanks to those idiot humans, we’re back and more powerful than before!
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: And naturally they’re too stupid to ever figure out how to control us. We’re loyal only to… GEIER!
Sigma: Enough! I’m through with both of you!
(Sigma clenches her fists tightly, then points right at the Kaijin.)
Sigma: Ikuzô!
Kugigan-Harinezumi: KUGI-KUGI-KUGI-KUGI-KUUUUUGIIIII!!!
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: SSSSSSSSSHHHHIIIIIMMMMAAAAAAAAAA!!!
(Sigma runs at Kugigan-Harinezumi, leaping out of the way as he brings up his nail gun arm and lets loose. Yôsetsu-Shimauma activates her welder and slashes towards Sigma, just barely missing her. She drops down and sweep kicks the Geier villainess, rising up to kick Kugigan-Harinezumi away as he races towards her. Yôsetsu-Shimauma scrambles to her feet and grabs Sigma around the neck, trying to choke her. She slams both her fists into the mutant villainesses’ neck, stunning her and giving Sigma time to kick her off. But as she tries to rise she looks up to see Rêdagan-Cheetah dropping down right on top of her! Sigma reaches up and grabs the feline monster, throwing her to the ground, but her enemy does a roll and quickly rights herself across the room.)
Sigma: You again!
Rêdagan-Cheetah: CHIIIIIIIIIIIII-TAAAAAHHHHH!!! I’m just returning to take back what’s ours! But first, let’s take care of you!
(Rêdagan-Cheetah dashes forward towards Sigma, who rolls out of the way. The Geier Kaijin surround her and a three-on-one battle begins, with Sigma struggling to keep the monsters at bay. Back up in the observation room, Risa crawls over to the door but is stopped as Kyôko points her gun right at her.)
Kyôko: I don’t think so.
Risa: (Scoffing) What are you going to do? Shoot me?
Kyôko: Not just yet. But you’re going to have to answer to so many people, I’d be doing you a favor if I just pulled the trigger right here!
Risa: Ha! HAHAHAHAHA! Really?
Kyôko: (Flatly) Yes, really.
Risa: And what am I going to have to answer for? All this is going to be swept right under the rug, you know. That’s how it is. That’s how it’s always been. You think anyone knew my father had been a Destron scientist when he founded this company? You think they had known about all the people he had killed in the name of the false ideals he believed in?
Kyôko: I don’t know, and I don’t care. What matters is that you’re history, Seul.
(Risa, unprovoked, quickly jumps up and tries to punch the other woman in the stomach. Kyôko’s eyes widen just before she slumps over. Risa stands, looking down at her coldly.)
Risa: Don’t count on it.
(Risa calmly walks to the emergency door control, activates it, and strolls out as Kyôko lies silently on the ground.)
***
(Meanwhile, back at the Tokyo MPD, Kôhei is once again in the large, dark meeting room before the Commissioner and two senior officers. But he is anything but calm and collected this time.)
Kôhei: (Banging fists on table, yelling) COMMISSIONER! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?
Officer #2: Kurobe! Sh—
Kôhei: (Cutting him off) SHUT UP! Commissioner, I demand to know what’s going on here. Why am I being taken off the case again!?
(The Commissioner looks up at Kôhei, and the younger man gasps as he sees a deeply troubled look in the older man’s eyes.)
Commissioner: (Puzzled) Kurobe… what are you talking about? I never ordered you taken off the case.
(There is a long, long silence.)
Kôhei: (puzzled) You didn’t? But he—
(Kôhei turns to Senior Officer #2, who frowns up at him.)
Kôhei: (Angrily) What are you trying to pull, buddy?
Senior Officer #2: Allow me to explain, Kurobe. Have a look at this.
(The older man produces a hefty manila envelope and hands it to Kôhei, who opens it impatiently. He pulls out a large, blood-covered knife. A knife with a vulture’s head-shaped ornament at the end of the handle.)
Kôhei: (Unimpressed.) So? What the heck is this?
Senior Officer #2: It’s evidence from the crime scene… for when they CONVICT YOU! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Kôhei: (Freaked out) Huh? Have you gone nuts!?
Senior Officer #1: Shirotani! What’s the meaning of this!?
(Senior Officer #2 rises, laughing maniacally.)
Senior Officer #2: (Insanely) Shirotani has been dead for weeks. I was just borrowing his body, for this purpose!
(As the other three watch on horrified, the man pulls off his face like it were a rubber mask, revealing the skull-like visage beneath. The rest of his body somehow magically changes along with this action, revealing a Starfish-like creature beneath!)
Starfish Creature: KOOOOOONNNNNPPPPPAAAAASSSSSSUUUUUU!!! I am Hitode-Compass!
(The Kaijin turns to Commissioner)
Hitode-Compass: DIE!
(Before Kôhei or Senior Officer #1 can act, Hitode-Compass sinks his knife-like claws into the startled Commissioner’s stomach.)
Commissioner: AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH! KUROBE!!!
Kôhei: Commissioner!!!
(Kôhei watches on speechlessly as the Commissioner slumps to the floor lifelessly.)
Hitode-Compass: AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Now, you’re next! Hitode-Bakudan!
(Hitode-Compass pulls out a large starfish and flings it at the other senior officer. It grabs onto him as he tries to get up and run. Kôhei watches on grimly as the other man yells out and falls to the floor before igniting in an explosion. The startled detective then looks up at Hitode-Compass.)
Kôhei: (Furious) You son of a— !
Hitode-Compass: HAHAHAHA! Let’s see you get out of this, detective! KKKKOOOOOOOONNNNNNNPPPPPPPAAAAAASSSSSSUUUUUUU!!!
(Hitode-Compass leaps up and vanishes into thin air, just as Kôhei hears the doors open behind him. Still holding the bloody knife, he turns slowly and silently.)
***
(Back in SOUL’s secret complex, Sigma battles the Geier Kaijin furiously. While in the past she has had little trouble tackling two opponents, three proves to be more than she can handle, and she gets thrown around left and right between monsters. Realizing she needs a new plan of attack, Sigma leaps up just as Rêdagan-Cheetah slashes downward. Sigma rockets up right through the ceiling, smashing her way above ground. But no sooner is she up there when Rêdagan-Cheetah, soon followed by Kugigan-Harinezumi & Yôsetsu-Shimauma, also arrives.)
Sigma: (Thinking) Great! As if Rêdagan-Cheetah wasn’t bad enough, I forgot how fast those other two were!
Rêdagan-Cheetah: (Sneering) Hahahaha! Sigma! This is the end of the story for you!
Kugigan-Harinezumi: We’re going to pay you back in full for what you did to us last time!
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: (Cruelly) And believe me, it will hurt.
Sigma: We’ll see about that. You guys have a non-stop flight back to the grave, and we wouldn’t want you to miss the plane!
Rêdagan-Cheetah: Silence! Kill her!!!
***
(Meanwhile, back down in the abandoned laboratory, the sirens continue to blare. But soon their loud howl becomes drowned out by the sound of footsteps across the blood-smeared floor.)
***
(The Geier Kaijin rush at Sigma once more, but with more open space around, she’s able to maneuver better. She leaps in the air, split-kicks her two revived foes, and lands a solid punch to the face of the new female feline foe. Yôsetsu-Shimauma throws her repaired arm chain around Sigma’s neck, but the masked heroine knows that trick well enough to easily break free with a well-timed chop. She then dashes and kicks Kugigan-Harinezumi in the gut, boosting herself up and chopping him in the throat, sending him stumbling back. Rêdagan-Cheetah roars and rushes Sigma, who rolls out of the way and trips the supersonic monster, knocking her to the ground. Sigma lunges at her, and they are soon locked in a rolling struggle. Rêdagan-Cheetah breaks free and throws Sigma up and over her head, but having already anticipated this, Sigma lands right on the Tsunami. She switches on the headlights, revs up the engine, and heads right towards the Kaijin, pulling back into a dramatic wheelie. She knocks the three left and right before turning around and going at them again. She manages to send Kugigan-Harinezumi flying into the side of a building and knocks Yôsetsu-Shimauma backwards into some of the well-kept shrubbery. She then looks towards Rêdagan-Cheetah, who growls defiantly.)
Sigma: You and me now, Cheeto.
(Sigma blasts towards the Kaijin, who sidesteps and activates her Radar Gun arm. As the red LED numbers climb, Sigma speeds further and further away. Rêdagan-Cheetah sneers as she determines her opponent’s exact speed, and then takes off like a speeding bullet in hot pursuit. Sigma veers to the side just as Rêdagan-Cheetah comes up from behind, and the two become locked in a deadly race across the vast, open concrete plane that surrounds SOUL central. Sigma leans towards the Kaijin and goes in for a bash from the side, ducking out of the way of the cheetah mutant’s claw swipe. Vehicle and monster collide, and Rêdagan-Cheetah is thrown to the ground. Sigma stops, leaps off, and runs over to her. But the feline villainess jumps to her feet, and slashes and punches as the masked heroine dodges and blocks. Sigma knees Rêdagan-Cheetah in the gut, then lifts her and throws her over her shoulder, punching downward into her gut and stunning her. As the Geier monstrosity slowly rises, she looks to see that Sigma is back on her motorcycle, and taking off at top speed. She raises her arm once more, and prepares to track Sigma for the last time.)
Rêdagan-Cheetah: I’ll teach you for speeding, Rider!
(Sigma is nearly a half-mile away from Rêdagan-Cheetah when she swerves around and stops. She revs the engine, her gloved hands gripping the handlebars tightly.)
Sigma: (Viciously) This is for everyone you’ve killed!
(Sigma rockets towards the Kaijin at supersonic speed. So fast, in fact, that Rêdagan-Cheetah’s Radar Gun overheats and shorts out.)
Rêdagan-Cheetah: (Shocked) NO!
(Sigma gets within a few dozen meters of the Kaijin, and slams on the breaks. She goes flying right off of her motorcycle, flipping around in mid-air and extending both feet towards her enemy.)
Sigma: SIGMA KASOKU KICK!
(Sigma slams into Rêdagan-Cheetah and goes right through, the sheer force of speed disrupting the Kaijin’s molecular structure and causing her to explode on impact. Sigma puts her feet to the ground and skids along, leaving burning marks in the pavement below her until she slides to a stop several meters away from the flame blast. She then quickly leaps back onto the Tsunami and heads towards the complex, where Kugigan-Harinezumi & Yôsetsu-Shimauma wait for her. She’s soon within reach of the Kaijin and ready to take them down for good, but she doesn’t count on an unexpected new player…)
Tire-Tora: TIGER-TIRE!
(One of Tire-Tora’s killer tires smacks into Sigma, knocking her from her mount and sending her crashing to the ground, dislocating an arm in the process. Sigma howls out in pain as Tire-Tora, joined by Kugigan-Harinezumi & Yôsetsu-Shimauma, slowly approaches her.)
Tire-Tora: Forgot about me, huh Sigma? Hehehehe…
(Sigma looks up, gritting her teeth below her mask and struggling to get to her feet. Kugigan-Harinezumi opens fire with a volley of nails, sending her toppling backwards and rolling around on the ground. Yôsetsu-Shimauma activates her welder and prepares to sink the hot, blue flame into Sigma’s neck. Then the unthinkable happens— Sigma reverts back to Maya!)
Maya: Shimatta!
Kugigan-Harinezumi: (Cruelly) What’s the matter, Sigma? Out of energy? That means my nails won’t just bounce off of you anymore… what a shame…
Yôsetsu-Shimauma: (Sneering) Well, at least you’ll burn up quicker now without your plastic armor. Haha!
Tire-Tora: (Coldly) Alright… Kill her.
(Maya cowers back in fear as the two revived Kaijin walk past their contemporary and prepare for the kill. She closes her eyes, clenching her teeth and fists, and tightens every muscle in preparation for the oncoming pain. But instead, there is a loud squelch, and she opens her eyes to see that both Kugigan-Harinezumi & Yôsetsu-Shimauma have bright, silver shuriken embedded in their heads. The Geier monsters topple backwards silently, and explode in two massive balls of flame. Maya shields her eyes, and Tire-Tora, understandably upset, looks around.)
Tire-Tora: (Angrily) What the—!? Who did that!?
(Maya looks around as well, but soon scrambles out of the way as a black shape comes screaming past her, going through the flames and slamming into Tire-Tora, sending him flying backwards. As he rises to his feet, he and Maya simultaneously gasp as they see that the shape was a dark, powerful-looking motorcycle. The female rider atop it wears a tight black and white-colored suit. Around her waist is a dark belt with a green swirling center. And on her head is an ornate mask with two large green glowing eyes. Long antennae project out from this mask, and a tattered black scarf as well as long black hair blows in the wind. The figure slides off of her vehicle with serpentine grace, cracks her knuckles and puts her hands on her hips.)
Maya: (Shocked) Who… who is that!?
Tire-Tora: (Furious) Who the @#$&* are you!?
(The new female Rider rolls he neck.)
New Rider: You can call me… KAMEN RIDER LILITH!
To Be Continued...
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Kamen Rider ©1971, 2007 TOEI / ISHINOMORI SHOTARO. "Kamen Rider Sigma" by Paul Sullivan.