by Lee, TD
The tall man takes a small step forward which prompts the man holding me to proceed freaking out, “Stop! N-not another step!”
The tall man continues stepping forward. A soft voice comes from the Revelator, “Revelator engaged. Initiating subjugation mode.” Orange lines glow on the Revelator as it changes its shape into a slightly larger gun. Without any hesitation, and before I could get killed, a bullet flies into the arm of the man holding me.
The man immediately releases me. His free arm clutches the bullet hole. “N-no! No!” he screams in agony as his arm starts reacting violently. Under his skin is an orange glow. Starting at his shoulder and working to his hand, his arm bulges to twice the size. It looks like something is growing inside his arm, desperately trying to force its way out. With a bright orange flash, his arm explodes and blood splatters all around.
As the man screams and writhes around in pain, the tall man tackles him and stuns him with the Revelator. The tall man stands, apprehending the man that tried to kill me and leads him away from the area. I take a quick look around to see some people disgusted with the display in front of them as others are cheering for the Adjudicators.
“I’m sorry about this situation, will you be okay?” the woman asks. I nod as she runs a scan with her Revelator. She checks it and has a relieved smile on her face. “Good. If you do need anything, please feel free to call this number. The services are free.” In between her fingers is some sort of business card that gives a number to some sort of counselor at the Adjudicators office.
“Uh, sure. Thanks,” I mutter. I grab the business card just to immediately put it in my pocket.
“Please, have a pleasant rest of your day,” the woman says with a courteous bow. She tails after her partner, moving as if nothing had happened here.
With a quick glance around, the crowd of people have mostly dispersed. Some are in complete shock over what happened, while others moved on. I don’t get why people are shocked considering this happens at least twice or even three times a day ever since the Adjudicators became a thing. Maybe it’s just the fact that they saw an arm get blown off that freaks them out? I guess that’s kinda freaky to see. Not to me considering I’ve seen a lot of shit during that Hell on Earth incident. A. Lot. Of. Shit.
When I finally get to the convenience store, I take a quick scan around. Not many people are in here, just students that like to loiter about. I’m a little tempted to get some snacks, but I still have some stuff at home. Decisions, decisions. Ultimately, I just move on and resist temptation. Though, I feel like I should reward myself for resisting temptation.
I walk by the magazines and notice one all about the Mobile Knights. Now that Hiro’s a pilot now, maybe I should look into these magazines. Only the Mobile Knights ones considering it’s the only one that’ll have someone I know in it. I pick up one of the magazines that has a giant blue and silver mech on it with the pilot being the main focal point. Browsing through the magazine, I do manage to find a small blurb about Hiro. It doesn’t really say too much, but just that Hiro Watanabe is the new pilot for Mobile Knight-06 Lancelot. Of course, it ends with saying that there’ll be more coverage about the new pilot in the next issue. How long ago was this published? A week ago!? Wait, that means Hiro knew about being a pilot even before we watched Kirika’s concert. How come he didn’t tell me? He really spent a whole week just hiding this. I’m sure he has a reason, but it’s just weird. Whatever, it’s not a big deal.
Not too far from the magazine I picked up are comics. Most of these are superhero comics with a small dash of the romantic or comedic ones. Didn’t think people were still reading comics considering those stories on paper are happening in real life. Most comics here are basically biographies of these superheroes. The older the issue, the further back in the hero’s timeline we go. The later the issue, the more recent their endeavor or achievement. I think it’d be really weird to have your own personal life being told in this format. Someone out there is writing your story out after you do it. It’s really weird. Although, it can be said that if a hero doesn’t have a comic, that means that hero is either not popular enough for one or just not well liked. But there are some niche heroes that get a comic here and there, but those are pretty rare.
I take a little bit to walk around the convenience store to see if there’s anything else I want, but ultimately I just pay for the milk and quickly make my way back outside. Besides just being greeted by the brisk wind, I can hear one of the TVs on a building, “Spectral Singers are collaborating with Reali-Tea! For a limited time you can get exclusive Spectral Singers merchandise and themed items! Reserve your spot soon! There’s no tea, like Reali-Tea~!” On screen was a guy and girl, young adults I would gauge. They’re dressed in extremely extravagant clothes that look like they shouldn’t ever be worn by any normal person. I wonder if Hiro wants to go to this, he is a fan of the Spectral Singers after all. Limited time events happen pretty often at certain locations or restaurants, Hiro has dragged me to several of them. The only good thing that really came from going to those is pretty much just eating interesting assortments of food.
On my way back home, I notice the spot where I was grabbed earlier has been cleaned. Not a single trace of flesh or blood remains. Man, how fast can those Disaster Relief people work? It wasn’t even that long ago, but it’s already cleaned up. Still, I’d hate to have their job. Not because they might have to clean up some really gruesome things, but because I just really hate cleaning.
Something wraps around my ankles and trips me. I tightly hold onto the jug of milk as I’m pulled towards a dark alley. Several other people are dragged with me into the same alley. I don’t even try kicking off the thing that’s around my ankle, all I really care about is that I keep this jug of milk alive and not destroyed. I also hope that I don’t get too serious of scrapes or burns from all of this dragging.
Once the dragging finally stops, I’m lifted into the air. The thing holding me, and several others that are screaming for help, is this weird monster that looks like a weird cross between a tree and a cyclops. The thing wrapped around my leg is a thick vine that squeezes really hard, but not so hard that it hurts at all.
“Ha ha ha!” Oh God this tree cyclops thing has a bad laugh. “None shall stop me! As I suck the life forces out of these civilians!” And he’s even announcing his nefarious plans in front of people. This is what Hiro would call, a grade E villain.
Teleporting in is a flashing rainbow of light from the sky. Emerging from light are six people. Each of them wearing their specific color. Oh no, these guys. I know exactly who these guys are. Every kid wanted to be them, every adult forgot about them. These guys are popular with the kids and have been around for ages. They’re different from the ones I grew up with, but they’re all one and the same. They’re the-
“Kaleido Rangers!?” the tree cyclops yells, posing in a ridiculous manner.
The girl dressed in complete blue speaks loudly and makes some elaborate hand movements and gestures, “We will stop your evil ways Treeclops!” Of course this monster guy is named Treeclops.
“Yeah, you one-eyed freak! We’ll take you down!” the guy color coded in complete yellow says, also posing ridiculously.
“You are too late Kaleido Rangers! For I have already won this battle!” Treeclops laughs triumphantly even though he hasn’t really done anything other than drag myself and other bystanders into this situation.
“What!?” the girl in purple yells, also posing ridiculously.
“You see, I have been using these humans as a life source! Draining the very essence of their life. They will die soon!” Treeclops explains because he is a grade E villain. Has he been sucking away my life source? At this point, I wouldn’t mind if my life source has been sucked away. I would rather die than listen to any more of this banter.
“You monster!” the girl dressed in complete silver slanders, I guess.
“We will stop you!” the guy in complete green follows.
Treeclops chuckles, he even puts his hands on his stomach to accentuate his laugh. “I would love to see you try!”
“Together Kaleido Rangers! Ready!?” the girl in complete red orders. All of the Kaleido Rangers reach behind their backs to grab a device that looks like a belt buckle.
The other Kaleido Rangers yell in unison, “Ready!”
All together now, “Kaleido Rangers, shine on!” They all forcefully and exaggeratedly punch the air and pose strangely with the belt buckle thing.
In several flashes of light and dramatic posing and acrobatics and some extremely extravagant wardrobe changes, each of the Kaleido Rangers emerge from their respective colorful light. They pose dramatically as they do their roll call.
“Dazzling thunder, Kaleido Yellow!”
“Sparkling sea, Kaleido Blue”
“Twinkling terror, Kaleido Purple!”
“Everlasting earth, Kaleido Green!”
“Shimmering sky, Kaleido Orange!”
“And Flickering flame, Kaleido Red!”
“When darkness consumes the world, we will shine through. Defenders of justice and all that is good. We shall fight together! Kaleido Rangers!” A colorful and loud explosion shoots from behind them as they do their signature poses. Has no one questioned why or how a colorful explosion always happens when these guys pose with each other?
“Come my minions!” Treeclops stomps on the ground. Rising from the concrete are short monsters that are eyeless versions of Treeclops. The vine he has wrapped around my ankle squeezes a little tighter. Is that a small thorn that I feel trying to break my skin?
“Go Kaleido Rangers!” the leader in red commands. Upon their orders, the other Kaleido Rangers charge in with their respective weapons.
Whenever I see the Kaleido Rangers fight, I always feel like it’s some sort of light show. Every time either a Ranger or the monster gets hit, sparks will fly like fireworks. I don’t even understand how the sparks even happen considering the monster is made out of, what I would assume, their normal flesh unless their flesh is some sort of thing that sparks when it collides against something. Even the Ranger suits, that are totally made of spandex, spark too. With every hit that makes contact, either the Rangers or the monsters will do some weird flips and writhe on the ground a bit. I do have to give props to the Rangers though, they’re all extremely acrobatic. Maybe it’s the suit or the belt buckle thing that gives them their powers, but they are definitely superhuman. However, I don’t know if it’s within their contract or whatever that they have to do things with extreme cheese. Seriously, their speeches are so tacky to the point I’m not even really listening to whatever dialogue they’re saying while fighting. They even do some weird acrobatic stuff off of the enemies as the monsters shuffle about.
Several loud, agonizing screams erupt into the air. “What’s happening to me!?” I look over at the person screaming to find their skin slowly becoming green. Their veins become more visible as their skin sprouts budding flowers. With what I can manage to see, my leg is starting to become the same way. My ankle is a deep green. Underneath my skin, I can feel a grazing pain course through my veins. A sharp pain hits my ankle bone as a flower blooms, a rose?
“What are you doing to them?” the orange Ranger questions.
“Taking their life force!” Treeclops cackles. “Once I drain them all, they will then serve as my minions!”
“No, you can’t do that!” the green Ranger exclaims dramatically. He attempts to sever a vine with his axe only to have it comically bounce back and remain intact.
The yellow Ranger announces, “None of our attacks are working!”
“Help us Kaleido Rangers!” several of the people say as a little bit more of their body starts to become green. Some already looked like they have given into their fate.
“We can’t give up everyone! We must defeat Treeclops!” the red leader says, doing her best to encourage everyone. She stands strong as she holds her sword pointing at Treeclops. “Everyone, together!” The other Kaleido Rangers stand beside the Red Ranger, fusing their weapons together to create a massive colorful gun. “Fire!” A beam of rainbow colors spirals towards Treeclops. Upon making contact explosions and sparks fly around it. Me and all of the other victims snared by the vines get dropped to the ground. I quickly try to pluck the rose off of my ankle, but it’s pulling my skin and hurts a lot.
“We did it everyone!” the blue Ranger cheers, even high-fiving the purple Ranger near him.
“Yeah! We’re awesome!” the purple Ranger adds.
“This is not over Kaleido Rangers!” a booming, cackling voice comes from the sky. There’s nothing to be seen other than the clouds swirling. “Become colossal Treeclops!” the voice booms again as a lightning bolt strikes Treeclops’ body.
Following the lightning bolt is Treeclops’ body growing so massive that it destroys a couple of the surrounding buildings. Each of the Kaleido Rangers were quick enough to move myself and the other snared people away from the falling building. I had the honor, I guess, to being carried away by the orange Ranger, but no conversation was possible since she immediately ran back in to save more people. I try to stand up, but I can’t move my legs. Both of them have been turned to green with some roses on them. Could these flowers be paralyzing my legs right now? It’s a smart tactic, paralyzing flowers that slowly take over the body so we can become minions to that tree thing. Smart, but so slow.
After the Kaleido Rangers finished rescuing the people that were still in the alley and even other bystanders that happened to be in the area, they gather in front of everyone they rescued. The red leader commands, “We have to call our friends, ready?”
The other Rangers reply in unison, as usual, “Ready!”
All together now, “Come, Beastborgs!” The Rangers all put their hands in the air as a loud fanfare of mechanical roars or caws echo loudly.
Incoming quickly are several giant mechanical animals that are essentially mechs, just a little less useful, that are color coded specifically for each of their respective Ranger. A red tiger, blue dolphin, green scorpion, yellow eagle, purple alligator, and orange peacock all come crashing in, taking down several buildings on their way. Sometimes, I think the heroes cause more mass property damage than the villains. Each Ranger jumps high into the air to enter their respective animal.
Within seconds the animals all move into formation and combine into a super mech where each animal is a limb or body part of the mech. The Rangers duke it out with giant Treeclops some more, taking down building with each step or jump. The Rangers’ combined mech is hilariously stiff, to the point that it can’t move as swiftly as Treeclops. Yet, somehow with this disadvantage it still manages to defeat Treeclops with a large sword strike that causes Treeclops to explode in fancy fashion.
The Kaleido Rangers eject from the super mech and the animals return back to wherever they came from. The Kaleido Rangers pose dramatically, of course with an extra explosion for coolness sake I guess, and the crowd cheers them on. “We must be off, but you are all heroes! Disaster Relief will be here shortly, hang in there!” the red Ranger announces, of course with dramatic hand motions, “We must be off! Kaleido Rangers!” In a flash of light, the Kaleido Rangers fly into the sky like an arching rainbow.
Flying overhead are several helicopters. Descending from them are the hero’s janitors. There’s tons of them considering the mass amounts of property damage this time around. This is usually how city battles are. Tons of buildings destroyed only to be fixed relatively quickly. Gotta give it to these guys, they know what they’re doing.
A woman moves towards me with a whole medical bag filled with different kinds of meds, bandages, syringes, and pretty much anything medical you could think of. She pulls out an orange liquid med and puts it in a syringe. “This is a complete cure, it will sting, but it’ll be quick,” the woman says to me as she stabs a long needle into my ankle. Almost immediately, the green skin disappears and the flowers simply just fall off. All o
f the pain is going away, except for the stinging sensation that is a needle in my ankle. “Do you have any other issues?” the woman asks.
“I’m okay now, thanks,” I reply. The woman helps me to my feet and picks up the jug of milk I dropped. She waves goodbye as she moves onto the next victim.
A long sigh gets exhaled as I walk on home. Two super incidents in one day, pretty low to be honest. I feel that the amount of incidents lately has been kinda low. Sure there are things that still happen here and there, but they’re spread throughout the days. It was only a year or two ago where there were incidents happening almost constantly. Not that I’m complaining.
Ah, I’m finally home.
“Oh sweetie, what happened?” my mom asks as soon as I walk through the door because she’s eve so conveniently standing in the hallway. Guess she also noticed the bunch of cuts or scrapes I have on my body, or just the dirty clothes.
I sigh deeply.
“Same old, same old.”
Chapter 5
It's pretty early in the morning, earlier than I would usually be out on a weekend, but to hopefully get a good table at the restaurant we have to go early. After a little more research about the restaurant, I found out that it’s almost always completely booked up. Hiro even said that I was lucky to even get a reservation on such short notice. Even if you have a reservation, you might not get seated until an hour or two after your time, which is ridiculous but many claim the food is worth the wait. But at this rate, Hiro might make us late considering he’s not here at the specified time. Hiro and I agreed to meet at the nearby park. The park isn't too far from my place, so I don't have to rush. Hiro better get here soon, otherwise we might not get a good table to see all of that action that he enjoys so much; but I do enjoy cook offs that I see on TV myself so I honestly can't judge him too hard.
