Chapter Text
P4D: Persona 4 Dreams
Mission 1: Awaken Yourself, ZEZTZ
WARNING: I own none of these characters from Persona or Kamen Rider. All rights go to their respective owners and properties.
This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.
Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.
So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^
Night had fallen throughout a large city. A few citizens were either going home or wandering about as oddly enough the moon was shining above all, yet as it spun around the full moon now showed a red half moon, as if a large chunk was taken out of it. As for the rest of the city, they were glued to their phones or broadcast as something was going on.
It’s absolute chaos since a group of terrorists are surrounding what looks to be a young woman with long black hair and a red dress.
“Heh, alright. Just gotta wait until the studios finally pay us what we’re owed.” the leader of the terrorists laughed as he and his goons looked towards their meal ticket, “I wonder how much your family will pay for your release?”
“Does it matter? It's obvious you won’t keep your end of the bargain…” The woman glared at the terrorists.
“Oh, and what makes you say that?” The lead terrorist asked.
“Just a hunch… and your smell.” She smirked at him.
Unknown to them, one of the terrorists, who was wearing a full mask, was listening on some form of device. It looked almost like a phone but too hightech for what the world currently has right now.
“Your mission, should choose to accept it, is simple.” An unknown voice spoke.
Save the Hostage
The person smirked softly, “Do not worry, Commander Zero. You know I’m always on the task.”
“That’s what I want to hear…”
Good Luck, R7
‘Alright, time to show why I’m the ultimate secret agent.’ The terrorist, or rather the infiltrator, thought as he slowly approached the hostage.
He continued to play the part for now, doing tasks the ‘boss’ wanted as he briefly looked at a screen that showed a large sum of money to be paid and the computer collecting said money. When no one was looking, he placed a USB to rat out the computer.
‘Let’s hope that Save the Children's Fund will appreciate a hefty donation once the sum is decided.’ R7 thought while tapping away at the keyboard, ‘And those terrorists didn’t install the latest kernel patch. Hard to believe these losers could do this.’
He then looked up and saw on-screen the money had been decided by the girl’s talent agency. He smiled as his little surprise got to work.
“Shutdown confirmed.” He whispered into the earpiece he had on him.
“What the?! Hey! Where’s the money? What’s with this charity shit?” The boss roared.
“Ha! Looks like your plan failed!” The woman laughed, taunting the terrorist.
“You… what did you do, you skank?” The boss roared.
“As if I could do anything in this state. You should have worked your website better” She blew a raspberry at the angry boss and his goons.
“You little!” The boss growled in rage, “One of you! Kill this bitch, now! We’ll show what happens when you mess with me!”
“My my, such a temper…” R7 chuckled, letting the truth out. He soon walked over before kicking the boss away only to swiftly catch a knife that the boss had, cutting the rope and catching the woman in his arms as he took off his disguise.
“Cody!” The girl cheered as the young man took off his mask, revealing a young man with dirty blonde hair.
“Yukiko, it’ll be okay now.” He winked at her before looking up to the enraged boss and his lackeys. “Hmph… This is Agent R7. Commencing the mission.” He said to the commander listening in on his earpiece.
“Shit, it's the CIA!”
“CIA? No, no, no~! I’m with the Secret Defense Organization: CODE. Call me Aldrich, Cody Aldrich. Think of me as the one who hunts down the boogie man and the baba yaga….” The agent, Cody, revealed before he took out a Walter P-38. “And you’re now on my list.” He said before firing a shot at the boss, only for a rubber bullet to bounce off his forehead and knock him back.
A shootout quickly emerged as R7 quickly got his friend to safety while firing off several shots from his gun. Many of the terrorists either firing back or charging in with weapons to attack the secret agent.
“Come on, you’re making this too easy for me!” R7 laughed.
“Die, you stupid spy!!” One shouted out with a knife in hand. R7 responded with a few martial arts to disarm his opponent before using a few punches and kicks to send the knife wielder flying.
“Hey, I’m a secret agent; learn the difference!” R7 remarked before he fired his gun off to disarm his opponents.
Eventually, he was able to take down the terrorists; allowing him to finally untie the girl.
“Yuki, you alright?” R7 asked.
“I am… now thanks to you, my hero.” Yukiko said with a blush on her face as the two got close, face nearly ready to kiss.
At least until he heard something…
“KOSHIRO RYUGAMI, WAKE UP ALREADY!”
XXX
*WHACK!*
“ITE!” R7 shouted, getting up as he did still have the dirty blonde hair, but it was far from slicked back and was instead rather spiky and messy. His blue eyes looked around from the harsh hit as he soon came face to face to see a familiar figure.
“Seriously? You’re dreaming of Yukiko again?” A young girl wearing a green and yellow jacket over a school uniform asked impatiently.
“I-I wasn’t dreaming nothing!” He proclaimed, despite the girl being right on the money.
“Ugh, this is why Aoi-san always wants me to wake you up.” The young girl groaned, “Come on, we’re gonna be late for school.”
“School?” The young man, Koshiro, looked at the clock and did a double take, “OH SHIT, I’M LATE!” he yelped upon getting up.
“No duh, you sloth.” The young girl sighed and shook her head.
“Seriously, Chie? Couldn’t you have me up earlier?” He yelped while he scrambled to get ready.
“Your sister and I tried, but as always… you don’t wake up unless you get a good smack.” Chie huffed, cracking her knuckles.
“Ugh, no wonder you can’t get a date…” he grumbled under his breath.
“What was that?” Chie asked, glaring at the boy.
“Nothing, I said nothing!” He said before getting up for the day
Yo! My name is Cody Aldrich, the invincible agent and ace operative of the organization CODE. At least, that’s what I dream about. In reality, I’m just a normal guy called Koshiro Ryugami, a half-American kid living in a small town named Inaba with his older sister.
“So, do you have my limited edition copy of Snake Eater?” Koshiro asked while the two walked to school together.
“Pretty much.” Chie said while she flashed said game case of his favorite fictional spy in front of the boy’s face.
This spunky tomboy is one of my childhood friends, Chie Satonaka. The girl is just as much a martial arts fan as I am an espionage fan. She was one of two people who accepted me the moment my sister and I moved here. Sure we may butt heads, but we’re very good friends for the most part.
“Chie! Koshiro!”
The two perked up as Koshiro spotted the girl in red, now just wearing a red jacket over a simple school uniform with a yellow necktie and a red hairband on top.
“Hey there, Yukiko!” Chie greeted her.
And this simple beauty is Yukiko Amagi. The best friend of Chie… and the girl of my dreams. She works at an Inn with her family as both a tourist spot and a big source or revenue. Though Chie and I both know she wishes to be away from the inn, even if she doesn’t want to admit it yet.
“I see that you went to wake him up?” The red-clad girl asked the kung fu girl.
“Yep. You should hear what old 007 was dreaming about.” Chie chuckled, only for Koshiro to slap his palm to her mouth.
“Chie, I swear!” Koshiro got out, blushing heavily while Yukiko was confused by his actions.
“Well, either way. I’m glad to see you coming to school with us this time, Koshiro-san.” Yukiko smiled sweetly, making the boy’s heart swoon once more.
“S-Same here!” The young man affirmed as Chie rolled her eyes.
“GYAAAA!!! SOMEONE STOP THIS THING!!!”
Koshiro quickly snapped his gaze forward and spotted a young man with brown hair wearing the same uniform as him and a set of headphones around his neck trying to regin in his out-of-control bicycle.
Chie immediately saw what was on their good friend’s mind and panicked.
“No no! Oh, no you don’t!” The kung-fu girl yelped.
Yet it was too late as Koshiro swiftly intervened as he helped stop the boy from crashing, using all of his strength as he could muster to cause the bike to stop before it hit both several trashcans and also the corner they were laying beside.
“Whew, thanks a bunch Ryugami-san.” The headphones boy said.
Koshiro was about to say something, until he saw a couple of baseballs flying straight for his crotch.
DING! DING! DING!
All of them hit their target at maximum speed one after the other. The poor boy doubled down and clutched his pearls in agony.
Yukiko gasped as she rushed over to assist the boy while Chie rolled her eyes from yet another mishap of the boy and his somehow, divinely horrible bad luck that was placed on him.
‘Not again…’ She thought in exasperation.
“Koshiro-san! Are you okay?” Yukiko asked, worryingly.
“Right in the round tables…” he squeaked.
“I tried to warn you, Koshiro.” Chie said, “You and that bad luck of yours whenever you do something nice for someone.”
“C-Come on, you know me at this point. M-My body just moves by itself sometimes.” Koshiro reminded his friends.
“Yeesh, I’m still not used to seeing that.” The headphones boy remarked, wincing in sympathy for his fellow man.
“He’ll be fine Yosuke, he always is. At least his luck has never turned life threatening…” Chie reminded them.
“That’s at least one mercy the divine seems to give me.” Koshiro joked weakly after he got back to his feet.
“You sure you’ll be okay?” Yukiko questioned.
“Oh it’s fine. Least it ain’t another stray dog pack.” Koshiro remarked casually.
“Come on, guys. Otherwise we’ll be late.” Chie said, grabbing her friend’s hand as the two girls headed off while the boys followed suit.
XXX
In the local police department…
“Morning, Aoi.” A rugged man wearing a simple button up shirt, red tie, and dress pants said as he greeted an arriving woman with honey blonde hair wearing a simple suit.
“Ah, Dojima-senpai. It’s good to see you.” Aoi greeted with a bow.
“I see that you finally graduated from the academy, huh?” The rugged man, Ryotaro Dojima, remarked.
“Yes, and while it took some time when my brother and I moved here, I am now ready to do my service.” Aoi nodded before giving a salute.
“Glad to see your energy and spunk remains.” Dojima chuckled before handing her some paperwork, “Now, while this may be odd. I’d like for you to join the division of one of our senior detectives. I believe you’ll do better there with him, than us on the main ground.”
“So, where is my new station?” She asked.
“At the Paranormal Affairs Division." Dojima revealed.
Her face paled, “Wait a minute. You can’t be serious. Senpai, you have to be pulling my leg here.”
“Afraid not. You will be transferred at this very moment.” Dojima shrugged off.
“I-I’m… being demoted… aren’t I?”
“Don’t be like that, Aoi-san. This isn’t a demotion. Just consider it a gut feeling I had to follow on.” Dojima reassured her.
‘Ugh, this is the worst…’ she thought as looked towards her new partner.
Having a donut was a more unkempt, older man in his own detective attire as he looked like someone who hasn’t seen the sun in years, with a five-o’clock shadow and bags under his eyes. This was Tetsuya Naruzami, the only one so far in the Paranormal Affairs Division.
“Huh, well what do you know? The kid actually made it, eh pal?” The detective chuckled to Dojima, “Guess we both got youngins to mentor.”
“At least yours will be competent, Tetsuya.” Dojima groaned out, “Mine is still being a troublesome coward.”
As if right on cue, a lanky young man stumbled towards the three, attempting to carrying a large try of coffee, only for him to slip and cause the whole tray to splatter on Aoi.
“Sorry ‘bout that!” The lanky young man apologized.
“Damn it, Adachi! I said be careful on your way back!” Dojima scolded his underling, “Sorry, Aoi. Adachi will pay for your cleaning and a fresh cup of coffee later.”
“It’s fine, not like I’ve been through worse…” she reassured the older detective.
“Right, your brother.” Dojima winced in sympathy. “Be glad it's only ever small bad luck and nothing serious.”
“Agreed… I don’t want to lose him like our parents.” Aoi nodded, trying to bury that old painful memory again.
“For now, just go change. I’ll be waiting outside for you, newbie.” Tetsuya said before walking out of the room.
XXX
Outside the police station, she spots Tetsuya walking towards a large tarp-covered truck that had a handmade sign that said, ‘Paranormal Affairs Division’. Aoi groaned before she went into the truck to see that basically this was the detective’s base of operations… and home. She was at least glad it didn’t smell as she took a seat.
“Glad to see you in here, newbie. Truly was surprised Dojima gave me a pupil, but better than nothing I suppose.” Tetsuya laughed before he gave her some papers “Now then, our job here is to solve Black Cases; mysterious cases with no known explanation. Deaths, disappearances, you name it, it’s probably been filed at one point.” He then looked up, “Need I remind you of 2009 or 1971?”
“Really? ‘Black Cases’?” Aoi questioned with disbelief. “And it was thrown out as just some random trouble within the Kirijo Group.”
“You say that, but nothing’s certain.” Tetsuya refuted, “Besides, I’m sure you know first hand what cannot be explained.”
“Koshiro…” she muttered to herself, recalling her divinely unlucky brother.
“Now then… our first case is about this random shooter.” Tetsuya revealed, handing her the documents.
Inside were several moments over the past month were unknown shooting incidents have occurred, mostly at night and luckily nobody was hurt. Yet several bullet holes began to appear, as if a shoot out was happening. Yet nobody reported hearing any gunshots, nor any footage appearing. As if these bullet holes appeared out of thin air.
“Yeah, no exit wound, no sign of blood, nothing.” Tetsuya remarked, “This is the kind of things that we have to deal with.”
Aoi sighed heavily but decided to play along with the case, “So any suspects or evidence that could point us to the culprit?” She questioned him.
“A few.” The old detective answered, “And lucky for you, you know one of them.”
“What? Who?” Aoi questioned with curiosity.
XXX
“Whew, it’s over…” Koshiro sighed in relief upon hearing the bell ring.
“Man… I have to go to work today….” Yosuke groaned out. “Say, can’t you trade jobs with me this once, Koshiro?”
“Sorry, but nope. That convenience store is too good for me.” The blonde shrugged with a smirk. “Plus they’ve been adding in more stuff from America, and they need my expertise on what is good to add and what should be avoided.” He then winced, “Besides, I think I’m still banned from there after last time.”
The two shivered in fear.
“I’m sure as glad they didn’t fire me because of that…” Yosuke agreed before Yukiko and Chie walked up to them.
“So, ready to head out?” Yukiko asked.
“Ah, yes.” Koshiro smiled.
“Easy there, tiger. Don’t go drooling over Yukiko in front of me. Got it?” Chie glared, as she was always very protective of her friend.
Yosuke smirked as he saw Koshiro squirm a bit. When the four walked out however, they soon heard the chatter of their classmates.
“Hey, did you hear? Another guy got lit up.”
“Nah man. It’s just some stunt I bet Junes is doing.”
“Would that explain all the dead bodies popping up?”
“The police said there were no bodies, you fool!”
“Yeesh, things are getting pretty bad.” Koshiro muttered, feeling a bit antsy about the sudden shootings.
“Wonder who can pull that kind of gunplay off?” Yosuke agreed.
“Hard to say? It could be someone just venting frustrations.” Koshiro noted, but also was confused as he was feeling a sense of deja vu.
“Hey! You best get a move on! I think that new show’s on!” Chie stated to the blonde.
“Oh crap, right!” He realized as he then rushed with them. However, he soon noticed some kind of car coming straight for the girls. “Yukiko! Chie!” The young man shouted out, swiftly rushing over and pushed the two girls out of the way without a second thought.
Koshiro could only watch as everything felt like it slowed down as the car came straight at him, only wishing that he could’ve told Yukiko how he felt.
*CRASH!*
The three looked shocked as they saw the unconscious Koshiro on the ground. However, while the girls rushed to him, Yosuke noticed something was off. There was no one in the car.
“Koshiro!!” Yukiko cried out, grasping his hand as he was severely bruised and bloodied while Chie was sitting on the ground, panting and shivering in fear at the sight of seeing one of her friends get hurt.
Yosuke, the only one who’s stable enough, got out his phone as he called for an ambulance, knowing that panicking wouldn’t do anyone else any good.
“Hello? Is this the hospital? We need an ambulance, please!” He asked on the phone.
“Koshiro! Please, hang on!” Yukiko wept, tears rolling down her face as he truly did something so thoughtless that it touched her heart. Her cries and everything else began to drown out as Koshiro was diving further into his mind, unaware of what was about to happen.
XXX
It didn’t take long to get Koshiro to the hospital, and needless to say that Aoi was scared for her brother’s life the moment she got the call from a panicked Yukiko. She was thankful such things never got to such a point. And yet today… it seemed to truly be the worst outcome Aoi had dreaded, a bad luck incident that was truly life-threatening.
“Please… Kami-sama… Buddha… Hell, anyone… Don’t take my brother away from me… please…” Aoi pleaded under her breath, holding her brother’s hand as tears were flooding out from her despair. The young woman couldn’t fathom losing her only family left.
Later that night, Koshiro soon found himself waking up in the hospital bed. He looked around to see several flowers, including his favorite, the Red Spider Lily’s next to him with a note from Yukiko. He smiled softly as he was touched that they cared so much.
‘I’m gonna have to start learning to cook now, if I wanna repay Yukiko for this.’ He noted within his thoughts.
However, it was then that he looked to his right… and screamed in terror upon seeing a large monster with a gun barrel head that’s staring him dead in the eyes.
The young boy quickly got up the moment he could move, dodging a swipe from the monster. He was confused as to where it came from, only for several gun shots to sound off, forcing him to move just in time as the bullet holes appeared where he was before.
“Someone!! Help!!” He cried out, yet heard no response. Only his instincts told him to run as he got onto his feet and ran from the rain of bullets the monster was sending his way.
The blonde was confused as he ran, seeing nobody in sight. Not a patient, not a doctor or nurse, not even the sounds of the cicadas that normally were so loud that he could hear it even in his dreams. There was nothing but silence and the monster’s presence.
He then ran into another door and found himself in what looked to be some kind of strange world filled with TVs. The yellow sky felt way more unnerving to the young man, but there was no time for him to figure out where he was; he needed to escape from the gun monster trying to kill him.
More gunshots forced him to keep fleeing, passing through several doors and corridors as the soft chuckling of the monster could be heard with every step. His heart was pounding into his ears as he felt like he was running through a maze. He even randomly saw some large teddy bear mascot in one room before he fled into the next one the moment the gun shot was heard.
The next room he fell into was, to his shock, the room where he dreamed Yukiko was kept was now in front of him. Yet instead of his crush, someone else was there in a red dress, as her face was surprised to see someone enter this room.
“H-Hey! Where did you come from?” She called out as the boy looked on with awe.
“H-Hold up, Nem?!?” Koshiro gasped, wiping his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.
“Ugh… seriously? I had to be in some weird boy’s dream tonight?” Nem groaned as she was more confused about the setting.
“What do you mean? Nem-chan, I’m running for my life from a giant gun on legs!” The young boy got out, as he heard the chuckle of the monster as from behind Nem came the gun monster but more revealing. It had a black body with green accents, slight paint splashes on the legs as if it was resembling a airt soft barrel, and several bullets on its chest with one arm resembling a machine gun and the other just a normal arm but had another gun on its elbow as the head was indeed a barrel of guns stuck together with glowing yellow lights as eyes.
“This can’t be real, this has to be a dream!”
“Dream? No… you are in a Nightmare.” The gun monster proclaimed with a chuckle.
It was then that the monster charged at him and began beating the young man black and blue. But as the young man was beginning to feel weaker he caught the next punch of the monster as he began to chuckle.
“So, that’s why everything felt so off. I must’ve started dreaming after I got hit by that car…”
And just like that, with one punch, Koshiro Ryugami gave way to once more becoming Cody Aldrich.
“Well then… looks like this ‘Nightmare’ turned on you… After all, I’m the invincible agent of CODE, Cody Aldrich.” Cody proclaimed, as he took out his own gun and fired at the monster before charging in to sweep him off with a kick, only to hit air instead.
‘W-What the? But I’m Lucid Dreaming right now!’ Cody gawked within his thoughts.
“Wow, way to put on such a fancy title.” the Gun Nightmare laughed before lighting him up with blasts.
In the real world, Koshiro’s body began to have some bullet wounds in the same places where Cody was being shot.
“It’s high time I turn your delusion into a nightmare.” the Gun Nightmare laughed as the young man soon found himself back to square one, back to Koshiro Ryugami.
“T-This… can’t be… I should be able to control my dream…. It should make me invincible…” Koshiro gritted in pain, using his dreaming power to summon Excalibur to swing at the monster, only for the Gun Nightmare to kick the sword away.
“The thoughts have always been there, in the depths of your subconscious. That no matter how hard you try? You’re just useless…. You’ll never make your dreams come true.” he laughed, “You don’t have the power to save anyone. You’re just a lonely little boy crying for his parents. It’d be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic.”
Koshiro tried his best to drown out the laughs of this strange monster.
“You’re helpless. Completely helpless.” the Gun Nightmare continued to drone.
“L-Lies…. You don’t know anything! YOU’RE NOT ME!!” Koshiro shouted in dismay before he fell and hit his head.
XXX
BEEEEPP…
“H-Huh? K-Koshiro?” Aoi muttered as she slowly woke up, having not left her brother’s side since he was admitted to the hospital.
Her eyes widened in fear upon seeing the mysterious bullet holes riddling her little brother’s body, as well as the long beep of his BPM meter.
“KOSHIRO!” she cried out in terror, alerting the doctors as they quickly recognized that he was going into cardiac arrest.
“Ma’am, please wait outside!” The doctor said as the nurses helped her out as the paramedics began to try and revive the boy.
XXX
Back in the dream world, Koshiro once more found himself at the strange room of TVs while he tried to keep himself alive, the only constant being the currently tied up Nem.
“The ultimate nightmare. It’s time to face it.” The Gun Nightmare laughed in his mind.
As the young man began to cry, he recalled something that his two best friends once told him.
“Despite all those close calls, you’re still alive. Right?”
“They’re right…” Koshiro said, earning the attention of the Nightmare. “Even after all of it… I am still alive.”
“Heh, you’re still alive. At yet still, you walk a path with no directions.” the Gun Nightmare protested.
“You’re right... But that just means I have more potential than anyone to follow my dreams.” Koshiro said as a TV by his side was flickering as if it was about to go out, only for him to pull his hand into the screen, creating a strange wavy pattern, “My dreams are mine alone! And I won’t let anyone take them from me!”
Suddenly, as he pulled his arm out, the young man tossed between himself and the Gun Nightmare a huge door. Seeing this opportunity, Nem broke free and pushed him into the door.
Koshiro entered the door as a wave of colors and lights filled his eyes as, in moments, he came through another door. This time it was some odd room filled with many things, including a few of his prized possessions of James Bond and Solid Snake in the room.
“Where am I?” he asked.
A modified Honda CL500 motorcycle was seen in one side as another was what looked like a gatachapon system against the wall as finally several letter boards that basically read ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Good Night’ in several languages as above it all was what looked to be a desk with the CODE logo on it.
When he saw the bike however, one image came to mind; one of a legendary figure not unlike the mysterious 007.
“Is that… the Kamen Rider’s Cyclone?” he asked aloud.
“You’ve done good to get here…. Agent R7.”
“That voice…” Koshiro recognized, “Commander Zero?!”
“This place is between dreams and reality; mind and reality… Your subconscious and your heart. This you can say… is what the inner lookings of what your heart truly desires, taken form.” Commander Zero said, as his voice couldn’t be pinpointed.
Upon turning a stationary teacup, Koshiro was presented with an open case that contained what looked to be a black device with a green center, a trigger, a silver sash, and a red gashapon capsule.
“Make your dream come true.”
Koshiro softly touched the item, new determination filling his mind and face as he picked up the items and turned back to the door that brought him here, ready to face his foe once more.
The commander then smirked, “Good luck, Kamen Rider.”
XXX
Exiting the door, Koshiro found himself inside what looked to be Big Ben in London. This place felt strange, yet so familiar to him at the same time. He looked to see a tv screen showing what looked like the Nightmare at the top of the tower with Nem as a hostage.
“You can’t stop this nightmare.” the Gun Nightmare reminded him.
“I can, and I will do what my mission is…” Koshiro- no… Cody declared, “Save the Target. That is my mission and I will carry it out. I choose this fate of my own free will.” he declared before slinging the device around his shoulder like a sling bag.
In the real world, the BPM meter started to work properly again. It was faint, but his heart was beating once more to Aoi’s relief.
Back in the dream world, Cody soon recalled what the commander had called him. It wasn’t R7 as usual. It was Kamen Rider. And if this is how he becomes one, then so be it.
“I’m the invincible agent, the next James Bond… and now… the next Takeshi Hongo.” he declared, looking at the shock the Gun Nightmare had at him speaking the name of the one man all monsters fear. Cody soon placed the capsule in the empty slot on the device and pressed the trigger.
IMPACT!
METZAMERO... METZAMERO... METZAMERO…
He then moved his thump across his mouth, wiping the blood on there as he declared.
“I’m on it.”
Cody snapped his fingers…
“Henshin!”
…and spun the capsule, causing the center image to animate. When the Gun Nightmare tried to shoot at him, the agent’s body was consumed by a red and black mist that began to transform him.
GOO~D~ MO~RNING~! R~IDER~!
ZE-ZE-ZE~ZTZ!
As the gunshots went off, each bullet either passed through the black fog surrounding the transforming hero, or started to bounce off the armored hide that was forming from the black fog as muscles began to expand and then soften.
IM~PA~CT!
The Gun Nightmare soon lunged to the boy, only for him to dodge the swipe and give a good punch to the monster, sending it flying from the single hit. Soon green muscles appeared on the armor alongside on the forearms and shins with red lines soon filling in the spaces as a red neckcover formed before finally the eyes like visor filled in with light red and purple only to combine into a shade of blood red for the eyes as each red piece on the armor sparked with life and spat out red energy like it was water.
XXX
(SONG: Seeing Stars - Mori Calliope ft. Lotus Juice)
/Don't look back, look forward
Find something you can move toward
Don't look back, look forward
Don't look back/
Now transformed, Cody effortlessly caught the bullets fired his way before kicking him down the clock tower, shocking the Gun Nightmare at the boy’s newfound strength.
/I'm slippin' then fallin', kept on looking for somethin' to bring me up
Odds against me, no such thing as hope (only down, no ups)
Walked on thin ice and it shattered in pieces
More that I reach, it seems all my chances decreases, but/
The Gun Nightmare fell with a thud that shook the clock tower while the agent Rider was able to land and cause a crater upon impact. Once he got up, the Nightmare tried to go on the offensive with punches and kicks, but Cody was able to keep him at bay without making a sweat. It was like the fear that he once held was slowly moving away.
/If it's unwinnable, cynical as I just might be
Our ending still is unwritten, I think I'm 'bout to break free
My limits closing around me, they're sounding less and less real
Because my heart is beating louder than the fear that I feel/
After grabbing some nearby chains, Cody swung it like a lasso and wrangled the monster up, preventing him from using his weapons.
/My mind's already made, not afraid of unrealistic dream
Looking for my supreme team, so I can walk on water
Used to look for perfection, now it's progress
Every dues paid, part of process/
“How about you get with the program already?” The agent Rider sighed as he focused his power through the chains, “This dream… belongs to me!”
/In this moment, maybe it's hopeless (don't be afraid)
Not knowing if I never try (one day or day one)/
With a simple tug, he flung the Gun Nightmare at the building, only for the monster to instead find himself flung into first a large castle, only to bounce off of it and start skimming over a few hot strings, and even crack his back on a stripper pole in the middle of a strip club. All before he was dragged back to the clock tower.
/Changing phases (yeah), enveloped in moonlight (one more step forward)
I can see stars now (uh-huh), running through an endless sky/
‘H-How did this brat create such a vivid dream transition!?’ The Gun Nightmare gawked in terror.
“Fade away from these dreams.” Cody snarled as he pressed the trigger on his device three times and spun the capsule.
/(Only one moment for you to live, how do you want it?)/
The agent Rider jumped in and first landed a roundhouse kick that created a red seven, then created another seven upon hitting a second roundhouse kick to distance himself from the Nightmare. Finally, he leaped into the air and delivered a flying side kick to the Nightmare.
IMPACT BA~NI~SH~!
ZE-ZE-ZE~ZTZ~!
Upon landing that attack, a third seven appeared as he returned to the ground safely as the three sevens now turned into three Zs instead.
/Don't look back, look forward
Find something you can move toward
Don't look back, look forward
Don't look back/
The Gun Nightmare let out a brief snore before exploding in a burst of purple particles, leaving behind a purple butterfly as a result.
“Mission complete.” Cody finished.
XXX
Upon disengaging his transformation, Cody let out a sigh of relief. He strangely felt complete, like he had just faced himself.
“Cody-kun!” Nem called out as she was seen racing up to him.
“Nem-chan! I’m glad you’re safe!” Cody sighed with relief as he looked down at the device, but the moment he looked up Nem was now gone, vanished in an instant.
‘Right, this is just a dream…’ he noted before he then looked towards the TV.
It was strangely calling to him. Upon placing his hand into the TV again, something was beginning to pull him in. Try as he might, he couldn’t get his arm out before the TV fully sucked him back in.
When he opened his eyes, Cody was once more Koshiro as he noticed he was back in the hospital bed, with Aoi, Yukiko, Chie, and Yosuke all crowding around him.
“Koshiro!” the rookie cop cheered, hugging him tightly while everyone else breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sorry for making you guys worry, I just had a bit of a bad dream.” the young man joked.
“Bad dream?! Dude, you got hit! You’re as lucky as can be!” Yosuke gawked.
“True. But… I helped someone…” Koshiro added.
“It wasn’t about Yukiko, was it?” Chie frowned as the other girl was confused.
For once, Koshiro didn’t blush as he shook his head, a rather content smile forming on his face.
“No, it was someone else.” he told them.
“Just… promise me… don’t scare me like that again….” Aoi pleaded to her brother, softly squeezing him. Yet despite that, she noticed something was off, ‘This is so strange… the bullet wounds are gone.’
Outside of the hospital room, a mysterious man soon chuckled.
“There’s something only the mind knows…” he spoke aloud, even though nobody seemed to be able to perceive him. “When your dreams go to sleep…. The world awakens to a nightmare.”
XXX
As his friends and sister left to go do their respective jobs and classes, Koshiro couldn’t help but feel content. But, as he checked his person, the mysterious device from his dreams… was still there.
“E-EH!?” Koshiro gawked, covering himself as he pinched his cheeks before opening his attire as the device was still there, showing he was wide awake.
He then noticed something else on his bed, and that was a strange phone like device and the very red capsule he used to transform.
“Good morning, Agent R7.” he heard Commander Zero call to him from the device.
It was then that Koshiro suddenly realized…
“IT WASN’T A DREAM?!?”
XXXX
YOUR NEXT MISSION
Stop the Bomber
XXX
A/N: Hello minna!!! Sorry for the little hiatus on things. Kinda had some net issues and more. Anywho, new story! And yup! Zeztz and Persona 4! The moment the first episode dropped? I fucking knew, I had to have it with P4, since both are technically solving an unknown case and revealing “the truth”.
And yes, as you can see? Going a much different direction with this story, especially with my usual OC thing. Hacker convinced me that it’d be interesting to try out a different OC name, but we also agreed to mix it up too, hence why “Cody” is the dream name here. Of course, there is a reason for that alongside a few others too. But that’ll have to wait another time. >:3
Next up, Yukiko. I know some of you may be shocked I have her as the ship and not something like Rise (who def is best girl). But here is my reasoning. Basically, when Persona 3 Reload got revealed? I decided to try out P4, since 1: I knew it was more closer to the P5 game formula than P3’s, simply cause of the combat and what not. And 2: while I knew P4 was def gonna get a remake too? We still don’t have a clue on the release date and I didn’t wanna wait any longer. So I played Golden.
And at first, I was gonna go with Rise during the gameplay, but after awhile? I grew to really like Yukiko and her story. Thus, the ship choice. :)
Now, as for the P4 story? It’ll mostly be the same. BUT we will actually add in Arena into it, just as an extra break up of the story. (even if the timeline may not work? I’m willing to experiment with this and see what I can do) Unsure if I plan to do both P4 Arena games and P4 Dancing. But we’ll see how things go.
There’s also gonna be a few other changes too, mostly for both NOX and Tetsuya. But once more, you’ll have to wait and see.
Until then, later minna!