Rule of Three

~LAS VEGAS, AT ABOUT LUNCHTIME~

It wasn't even Kobber season yet, and already there was trouble in Las Vegas.

It all began when a cafe exploded. This is not what cafe's ought to do, especially in the middle of the lunch hour, and thus the wave of panic that swept across the area was quite justifiable. It wasn't just the cafe itself that was evacuated, mind - every soul close enough to the buiding took to their heels with screams of terror, trying to put as much distance between them and the source of the explosion as they could before things got any worse. Because, in a world where superhumans regularly tangled with monsters, crime lords and otherworldly horrors, things were definitely going to get worse.

And they did, in short order, as the gangly insect monster emerged from the smoking shell of what was once a nice place to eat.

"Bah! Boredom and inspid stagnation!" thundered the mantis-like creature as he scraped his hooked talons other each other. "I was told this would be a city of excitement, where heroes came out of the woodwork every year!" And with a growl of effort, he swiped his forearms through the air, sending slices of purple energy sailing forwards to cut deep into the pillars that upheld part of a nearby bank. In a trice, the stone columns fell apart, bringing most of the overhang above with them in a shower of dust and rubble, and more screams emenated from the terrified pedestrians as they ducked under tables and into shop hallways, trying to find shelter from this unnatural event.

Not that the monster seemed to care very much at all. In fact, as he left the area of the care and turned to walk down the street, he seemed to be much more occupied with something else. His orange eyes, narrowed in a permenant sneer of haughty distaste, seemed to scan the panicking crowds in the same manner a cat eyes up a mouse just before the pounce, as if seeking something or other among them. Evidently, he was not finding whatever it was he sought, as growls of frustation left his mandibles at every other pass, until finally he seemed to give up and come to a dead stop in the middle of the street, blades and carapace glinting ominously in the sunlight.

"Where are they, then?" growled the monster at last, adressing the crowd at large. "Where are the mighty Kobbers, who effortlessly destroy every evil that goes up against them? Are they all too scared to try and stand against the all-powerful, all-destroying Kamakiri Majuu?! Come on out, you miserable wretches, and I shall-"

He was interrupted by a distant noise. A noise that was strange for not only having no apparent source to explain itself, but for being the sort of noise one does not expect to hear anywhere in the world. A noise that had seemingly no meaning by itself, and left the civillians, who had before been cowering in terror of the monster attacking them, as confused as their assailant was. A noise that was getting louder, as if it was approaching at a rapid pace, and was growing closer by the second as the source drew towards the chaotic scene taking place in the streets of Las Vegas.

And the noise went:

HAWK! TIGER! GRASSHOPPER!

Kamakiri paused at that, and... well, he had no eyebrows to raise, but the quirk of one antenna was probably as close to one as you could get. Then, as the sudden roar of a powerful engine became apparent, the mantis turned around to face the direction the noise was coming from, just as a large, silvery motorbike suddenly swung around the corner from a side road and came barelling towards the scene. For a brief moment, the figure seated astride it was wreathed in light and shining, multi-coloured circles...

Ta-to-ba! Tatoba, Ta-to-ba!

...and then it all came together, and light faded away as the new arrival pulled up on the sidewalk, close to the scene of the crime. Closer inspection revealed that he was, in fact, dressed in some sort of armour, mostly all black but with coloured segments and highlights on his body - red around the head, except for the green compound eyes, yellow on the torso and arms, and green on the legs. An emblem upon his chest corresponded to a similar pattern - a red hawk symbol on the upper portion, a yellow tiger on the centre and a green grasshopper beneath it. A very unusual outfit indeed, and one that would have passed a lot of remarks in most other circumstances.

The newcomer, however, didn't give Kamakiri the chance to make remarks.

"Alright, bug breath," snapped the stranger as he climbed off the bike. "Lower the oversized kitchen knives and back away from the innocent civilians!" And he pointed a dramatic finger at the outsized bug monster, just to drive his point home.

If Kamakiri was at all fazed by the newcomer's colourful appearance, he couldn't show it - insects do not emote very well. But it was very clear that this was not something he had been expecting to happen today, since it took him a while to respond to the demands made of him. Then again, even the civilians seemed a little surprised by the new development, many of them rising from their hiding spots to get a better look at the mysterious stranger who had just arrived. It was not often something like this happened before Kobber season, and interest was piqued all across the board.

"...and who," grated the monster, after a moment's pause, "are you supposed to be?"

A sharp laugh came from the masked man. "Seriously? You're asking me that? I would think you'd be more concerned about me kicking your abdomen clear out of Vegas!"

"An impressive feat, were it possible" hissed Kamakiri, flexing his talons. "But your overconfidence will prove your fatal flaw, stranger! No-one, mortal or otherwise, has overcome my blades! And unless you turn and run now, which I would strongly advise, you will be just another victim of Kamakiri Majuu!"

"You know I can't do that," replied the stranger. "Protecting innocent lives from creatures like you is kinda what I do, and I'm not gonna back down over some generic villainous threat!" One boot scraped back on the tarmac as the hero dropped into a fighting crouch, both arms raising up in imitation of claws - a stance primed to pounce the moment an opening was spotted.

Kamakiri cackled, knowing full well where this conversation was going to go. This brightly-coloured idiot wasn't going to back down, clearly, and there was nothing else in the immediate area to draw his attention. The police certainly wouldn't interfere - they certainly hadn't so far - and if any one of the bystanders had any foolish ideas about trying to be a hero today, well... it would end about as well as a hedgehog rights protest being held in the middle of a motorway.

This would be fun.

"Very well," he conceded, taking a step or two forward in readiness. "But first, at least tell me your name, so I can etch it into the list of other fools who have fallen by my blades!"

The reply came a little late, mostly for dramatic effect.

"O's."

The stranger rose from his crouching position and gave some sort of cocky, two-fingered salute.

"Kamen Rider... O's. Three, to be exact."

A pause.

"...I don't get it," muttered a confused Kamakiri.

"You'll understand," taunted the stranger, "once I've kicked your sorry butt up and down the sidewalk!"

"UNLIKELY!" roared the mantis as he finally lost patience, and leaped.

-------

Anything Goes! [Opening Theme of Kamen Rider OOO]

Performed by: Maki Ohguro

Original Lyrics by: Shoko Fujibayash

English Lyrics by: Steel Komodo

-------

YOU COUNT THE MEDALS: ONE, TWO AND THREE!

LIFE GOES ON!

ANYTHING GOES!

COMING UP: OOO!

With a screech, the monster brought his claws down, fully expecting them to cut straight through his enemy, armour or no armour. But instead of the satisfying feel of slicing through flesh, he was met with twin clangs that sent chills up his arms - the stranger had lifted his arms, and Kamakiri's blades clashed down on the yellow gauntlets instead, stopped completely in their tracks. The masked figure hadn't even moved from where he'd been standing or changed his stance at all, simply looking back at him with glassy visor eyes that, although outwardly unreadable, seemed to radiate a sort of "I told you so" confidence.

"What the-?!" was all Kamakiri could say.

Then a feline roar came seemingly from nowhere, and a sudden sharp spike of pain lashed across the insect creature's chest and made him stagger backwards, howling.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" taunted OOO, giving chase as he spoke. Even as Kamakiri recovered from the first attack, snarling, he caught a glimpse of the sunlight flashing on yellow claws, three to a set, folded out from the Rider's gloves and glimmering dangerously as he approached. Anger flared in the mind of the monster as he realized that he'd actually been cut by those things - something that had never happened to him, and shouldn't have happened given the circumstances.

"I'll make you bleed for that!" shrieked the Majuu, and swung out with an attack of his own.

 You say "Those short-lived dreams were just never for me,"

You just want a life that's untroubled and free

(THE SHOW'S ABOUT TO START
SO COME AND PLAY YOUR PART!

COUNT THE MEDALS: ONE, TWO AND THREE!)

But great was his frustration and horror when OOO simply parried the attack, ducking down for good measure, before snapping out with the opposite fist and planting it into his side, knocking him off balance and sending more pain through his body. The monster had no time to contemplate a counter-attack, as the masked warrior followed up with futher blows across his body that pushed him backwards along the sidewalk and down the street, flailing in a vain attempt to try and block the incoming barrage.

Then OOO pulled away, and Kamakiri briefly entertained the notion that now would be a good time to retaliate. But even has he recovered his balance, greenish light flashed across the leg armor of the Rider before he bounded upwards, and the Majuu barely had the space to raise his arms in defense before the distance was closed. Then the kicks came like blows from a jackhammer, each one bashing the wind from whatever Kamakiri had as lungs, before a final blow sent him spinning through the air to land in an ungainly heap upon the floor, dazed and angry.

This is some bullshit, he thought to himself, even as the watching bystanders struck up a cheer.

But the truth is, Fate just won't let you go

So you must push on, though your heart says "No"

(ANCIENT MYSTERY,

GIVE ME ENERGY!

COUNT THE MEDALS: ONE, TWO AND THREE!)

This time, he didn't hesitate - he knew that the other fighter would be coming for him. So when OOO tried to follow his attack up with a hammerfist strike, he brought up both of his arms to intercept the attack with a horrid clang, and the Rider's body jarred with the force of the impact. There was a brief interlude where the two shoved against each other, growling, trying to gain purchase to break the other's defense as the crowd watched nervously from the sidelines. Then Kamakiri pushed upwards and away, rising to his feet with the same motion and forcing OOO to stumble backwards and away, momentarily off balance.

But a moment is all it takes, and Kamakiri was quickly taking advantage of that moment. The nice thing about being a mantis was that your arms had a deceptively long reach - most insect prey didn't realize that until it was too late, and neither did a much smaller amount of people. So the Kamen Rider got a shock when the Majuu managed to land three powerful swipes across his chest area - two of them too quick to block, and a third strong enough to send him off his feet and sprawling to the ground, admits cries of shock from the onlookers.

Hissing with triumph, Kamakiri bounded backwards, turning somersaults as he did, before coming down to land on a nearby bench, balancing carefully on the top of the backrest. Ignoring the people who screamed and ran back from his proximity, he took a moment to bask in the satisfaction of seeing OOO struggle to his feet, gasping with pain and with one hand clutched to the emblem upon his chest. In an odd turn of events, the yellow parts of his outfit - the arms and central chest - were flickering, flashing between their usual colour and a deep black in a manner reminiscient of a faulty lightbulb.  

Must have done some damage to whatever his power source was, the monster thought, smugly.

But that's alright, because every tomororw's fresh and new

And the only person who can decide your own worth is you!

(OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! COME OOON!)

"Okay," grunted OOO as he got back to his feet. "You pack a whallop, I'll give you that."

"I do more than that," cackled Kamakiri, brandishing his claws. "As you will soon see!" And he bounded straight off the bench, tipping it over in his wake, as he turned another somersault in the air. One leg extended as he descended, and the monster brough it down in a vicious axe kick that could render a normal man unconcious - and even with his powers, it would certainly leave this ridiculous "O's" character kissing the stone paving beneath his feet once again.

Or, at least, it would have done, did the stranger not decided to simply jump up and kick him first, knocking him to the floor again. It was getting to be a bit silly, the rate this was happening.

"Well, then," came the cheerful reply, the Kamen Rider hopping on the spot as though warming up for gym practice. "I'll just have to finish you off quicker, that's all!" There was something about the cocky, self-assured manner that he was taking on that grated on the nerves - not that insects have nerves, but you know what I mean. And Kamakiri had taken enough of this stranger's crap that he was starting to get really cheesed off with that attitude.

So instead of making a comeback, he simply charged again, swinging furiously with no plan in mind.

It was a costly mistake - OOO leaned one way to dodge the first swing, caught the second on his arm and elbowed the Majuu right in his face. His momentum halted, the beast could do nothing to prevent the quartet of claw swipes that skated over his chest, the fourth one hooking into some part of his carapace and sending him stumbling forwards as OOO twisted around behind him. And with his mind swimming dazedly, there was no blocking the double-fisted punch to his back that knocked him forward off balance and to the floor once more.

Anything Goes, so go and make your start!

That's what makes a human heart:

The desire to pursue just what you choose!

Beaten, bruised, bewildered, Kamakiri Majuu barely had time to twist around to see what OOO did next. Pulling some strange, disc-like object from the side of his belt, the masked warrior ran it across the front of his buckle in a smooth, diagonal motion...

SCANNING CHARGE!

And as the bewildered Majuu watched, OOO's legs shone with energy as he sprang high into the air, higher than any human was capable of. Three shining rings - red, yellow and green - formed as he reached the apex of his jump, forming a line that aimed directly at Kamakiri as the hero tucked in his legs, then snapped them out again. Light and power surged, and concrete pillars that lay scattered from the monster's earlier rampage began levitating into the air as Kamen Rider OOO began a plummetting, two-footed descent towards his enemy.

And Life Goes On, so if you try your best,

Fight when you're put to the test,

Realization struck Kamakiri as he saw his own defeat heading inevitably towards him.

"...oh, that's why he's called-"

"RIDER KIIIIIICK!"

"-ooOH SHI-"

Then there is no way you can lose!

Proof that the only thing cooler than not looking at explosions... is causing an explosion.

-------

"Well," grunted the portly police officer as he banged the door of the van shut. "So much for the great Kamakiri Majuu, eh? Back behind bars before he even started!"

His companion nodded, remembering the crazy events of a few moments ago. Their division had saddled up as soon as the frantic 911 calls started pouring in, but due to the amount of rush hour traffic the cars had been delayed in arriving at the scene. It was whilst navigating the more tracherous roads of Vegas that the further reports had started coming in - of the strange figure dueling the monster in pitched battle up and down the street. The sergeant had been skeptical of the reports ar first, until had been reminded that this was Kobber Territory, wherupon he'd told the man responsible to shut up and fetch him another bagel.

The Rider had been there when the vans and cars had pulled up, standing amongst the wreckage. He hadn't left the scene since the explosion had been reported, and when the officers had questioned him, he'd been more than eager to explain what had been going on. The evidence against the half-conscious Kamakiri was so overwhelming - sliced brickwork, destroyed tarmac and terrified bystanders - that the police hadn't bothered asking any further questions. The handcuffs had come on quicker than you can say 'You have the right to remain silent.'

Then they had turned to thank him on behalf of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and he'd vanished. With only the faint noise of a motorbike trailing away to mark his passing...

"Take him away!" The yell of the fatter man startled the younger out of his memories as his comrade's hand slapped sharply upon the side of the van. Then, as the vehicle pulled away, carrying it's unfortunate cargo with it, the older officer turned back to his partner with a heavy waddle, blowing air through his cheeks in an exaggerated sigh of relief and exertion.

"Thank God that's over with," he muttered.

The younger nodded again - there didn't seem to be a reason to do anything else. "It's getting to be that time of year again, isn't it? Soon, we'll have to deal with cases like that every other day, I reckon. Six or seven months of superhuman fights..." And he gave a shudder at the thought of having to turn up late to every single one of them.

"What I don't get," put in the portly one, "is what he gets out of this. I mean, nobody just puts on a costume like that without some kinda motive. You think he's got a sponsor or something who gives him, like, a shitload of money for every crim he dusts up?"

"He's on our side," the younger man insisted. "And he stopped a lot of collateral damage and saved a lot of innocent lives. That's good enough, surely?"

The fat officer shrugged. "I dunno, man. My mom always said 'never trust a man in a mask'. I mean, what's he got to hide...?

"...eh, fuck it," he decided, after three second's thought. "Wanna get coffee?"

"Sure."

But as the taller man followed his companion towards the nearest cafe, he couldn't help but recall just what the crowd had been chanting, in one voice, as they pulled up towards the scene. A chant that had no meaning on it's own, but in context carried the weight of a thousand words. A chant that seemed to roll all across Vegas like a wave, as if carrying with it an impending warning to all who would try to defy it - a middle finger to the unjust and the foul-minded standing against the mysterious figure who had saved theire lives this day.

And the chant went:

"OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO!"

INTRODUCING

 KAMEN RIDER OOO