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Steaming cup of coffee in hand, the rustling of leaves made Goro freeze. In a large square full of shops, restaurants and people, soft chattering of shoppers going in and out of the mall on one side. Listening carefully trying to pinpoint where it was coming from. Eyes darting around from under his hood. He had been trying to keep a low profile today and just get some coffee while he hunted down Shade hideouts. Focusing on the trees growing to give the copious tables and benches shelter. Leaves dead still. Looks like Shade was coming to him today.
Bursting from everywhere. From the ground spraying concrete and from above landing on people, monsters made entirely of vines appeared. The vines shot everywhere, entangling as many people as possible. Screaming people quickly dragged up the sides of buildings as the vines grew. Slowly and painfully sucking years off of their lives. Goro moved quickly, there was only four of them, he ran up on to a table jump kicking one in the head. Scrambling up from his landing, strong cyborg grip on the vine cluster leading from the back of the monster's neck. It shrieked in pain and tried to struggle but he just kept kicking with all of his enhanced strength till the cluster popped out with a chorus of unearthly screams. The collective sigh of the people behind him pushed his resolve forward to stomp the head of the vine creature to dust under his high priced boots.
Three to go. Three to go. He chanted in his head as he traded punches with 2 of the creatures. Dodging between the two who were stretched right to the end of their teethers. Catching each of their wrists and with herculean effort spinning. Ripping the arms off and bringing them down and collapsing the skulls of the both of them. Three down. One to go. Concentrating on the last mook. Flipping up a table with the toe of boot, spinning and kicking it towards the last beast. His hood falling down as he did it. The cheers from the stuck people were deafening to his enhanced ears but he wasn’t paying attention to them. Just the vine that whipped that table in half before reaching its target. He frowned. It was a smart one. He had to move quickly, the people he had were still slowly losing their lives. Vines shooting at him in rapid succession, dodging each slightly ungracefully. One finally hitting it’s target and biting into his arm. Dragging him forward he fumbled in his pocket.
The crowd screaming as the vine creatures jaw unlocked, trying to take a bite out of his face. He jammed his arm down its throat. His small sommelier's knife in hand. Monster gnawing on his arm, he pulled back the vine wrapped hand. Wine bottle and belt appearing, sweat popping out on his head as he ripped his arm free. Jamming the bottle in and slamming the levers he transformed a flaming G blowing away the rest of the heavy dining furniture. His small knife transforming into a sword out the back of the creature's neck. Bring his arm down he swiftly Cut the beast in half. Stabbing down through its head before it could start to regrow.
Catching his breath for a moment, checking to make sure all the people were ok for now. He finally noticed the tv crews hiding in the entrances and exits of the plaza. Police trying to push past them. Finally pushing through the throngs of reporters “You're under arrest!” a few uniformed officers running towards him with handcuffs, detectives who knew better yelling after them. “No! Not yet it's not-” Goro cried out, a shadow dived off the roof at light speed. Too late the officers were impaled on the bats arms. Shiny and metal they looked like blades. He let the bodies slide off his blades and hands formed.
It hissed at Goro, swiping away wildly. He parried and danced around the attacks. Where is it? Where is it? He knew these more powerful monsters were just these plant creatures sucking years off bottles of wine. He had to get the bottle out of its body. Jumping over a powerful lunge, he spotted it while rolling away.
He stood up slowly, bringing his arm up into a dramatic point “That wine is crying! And I will free it from your grasp!” He ran forward, jumping up into a spinning corkscrew kick “Swirling Kick!” Energy spinning around him like a liquid he went straight through the monster. It stood there with a gaping hole in its body when the after blast G blazed across him. The screams on the monster burning filled the square. Goro stood up slowly. At least that was over with and the people were sa-”GORO-CHAN! GORO-CHAN!” the trapped people were screaming. Turning just in time to see the body fall and explode but the vine filled bat head fly away with its bottle wrapped under it, glowing white hot. Knowing what that meant he pushed through the reporters to get around the corner where he hid the conspicuous machine. He peeled out of the alley and scanned the sky. He spotted the rapidly growing monster flying over the bay. Pausing at the end of a bridge, racking his brain he had no clue what he was going to do. Every solution he thought up seemed terrifying and deadly even to his cyborg body. He spotted a small dot at the end of the bridge with a waving arm.
“Gooooorrroooo!” Takuya’s voice drifted across the bridge. The other man was sitting on the back of Tsuyoshi’s bike. An arm gripped around the driver’s waist, the other in the air frantically waving back and forth. Both of them with blue helmets, Tsuyoshi’s red gloves tight around the bars. His enhanced eyes could catch both men’s grins. He knew they couldn’t see his own smile hidden under his helmet. “We got something for you! Got it ready just incase” Takuya’s sentence ended in a yelp as Tsuyoshi revved his engine and peeled down the bridge, earning a smack on the helmet from his passenger. He revved up his bike as well. Weaving between the stopped cars. His hand slapped his best friends as they met in the middle of the bridge. He shook his head at the hyena laughter he missed so much. He held tight to the item his friends had delivered and of course it was exactly what he needed.
The crystal decanter glinted in the sun, those jerks had stolen this one from his abandoned apartment. His bike skidding to a stop a large arc of burnt rubber in the pavement. The decanter glowed and grew into a crystal cannon bigger than he was. The light reflecting off of it was beautiful and blinding. Rainbows bathed the surrounding cars and onlookers. The wine lightly swirled inside. Suddenly the rainbow light was sucked back into the crystal. A loud shot and anyone within 50 feet was blinded by the light. It connected square in the bats back. With a blood curdling scream it was vaporized. The bottle of wine falling like a small dot, his heart in pain for the bottle he had to sacrifice. Eye’s following it’s decent, he watched a stranger on a boat make a miraculous catch.
“Stop right there!” Police were pushing through stopped cars. He couldn’t get caught today. Revving his bike and popping the front wheel up on to a car. Riding on a few roofs to get past them. Front wheel hitting the pavement he sped away. Dodging sirens and lights for awhile. Pulling off into an alley for a rest. His right arm battered from holding back the monsters teeth earlier, the shock of the cannon had not helped it. Just sliding his back down an alley wall as he let his transformation break. He lamented his ruined shirt and jacket, torn and covered in blood. Starting to pick bits of fabric out of his wound, he heard a familiar voice and purr of an engine. Reaching up with his good arm, he flashed his headlight till he heard acknowledgement.
“Oh shit” Takuya leaped off Tsuyoshi’s bike before he had come to a full stop. “It’s not as bad as it looks. I promise” he tried to smile as the other man grimaced at his arm. “What can we do?” Tsuyoshi looked worried as Takuya was ripping the coat a shirt out of the way. “Just help get the wound clean. I have to find that boat and get that bottle of wine.” Tsuyoshi ignored him and got bike on his bike riding away to go get it himself. “Aren’t you two too busy to be following my exploits?” he snapped as the last of the cloth was ripped from his arm. ‘Yes!” Goro hissed and kicked his feet as Takuya poured some rubbing alcohol right on to the bleeding flesh. “But we can’t just leave you to fight this alone. You were gone for 3 years Goro…” his eyes were downcast and he dug through his bag for a roll of bandages. Meeting his eyes “We aren’t going to lose you again.” Goro sighed. They would never leave him alone. He would always be putting them in danger no matter how hard he tried. “WHOA” The other man gasped then yanked on Goro’s arm fascinated. “I can see some of your metal bits…” Just reaching over with his good arm and hitting his best friend in the shoulder. “Just put the bandage on!” both of them just giggling over the absurdity of him becoming the hero they watched on tv as kids.
“Tsuyoshi must have found the boat” he looked up as Takuya was finishing up bandaging his wound. The man in question came back around the corner on his bike. Standing up Goro took the wine and he had something else shiny in his hand “The man said he caught it with the bottle Goro. I figured it would be good to take too” he delicately picked up the foil cutter, holding it up and examining it. “Is it special?” Tsuyoshi asked curiously “I don’t know, it feels warm. Like I should have it.” he tucked it away in his pant’s pocket. “Thank you” finally the day's adventure hit his body like a brick. He was exhausted. Giving his friends a nod he got on his bike and headed home.
Walking through the back of the seedy bar, The Cooler, heading up the stairs to his apartment. The bartender called up the stairs. “A big guy and some asshole in a hat dropped some stuff off for you!” he froze with his hand on the door knob. Resting his forehead against the rough wood of the door. He thought he covered his tracks well enough. Opening the door a smile broke his tired face. His shabby warehouse apartment was full of boxes and cushy furniture. The cheap spindly furniture removed. The boxes full of clothes and shoes. He had been grateful when he heard that the whole time he was gone the others had paid for his apartment. Believing he would be back. Now they had gone and nicely furnished his new apartment and brought him his clothes. Flopping into a chair to rest before he unpacked all his new things he saw a note on the coffee table.
You better be happy I took good care of it. You better be happy you’re getting it back. - N
Deeply puzzled over this cryptic note, he tensed at movement deep inside his apartment. No way… He leaped out of his chair and strode into his bedroom. A big gray ball of fur was just licking itself in the middle of his comforter. Angrily it meowed at him. Just crawling into bed and carefully pulling his protesting cat close he just started happily weeping in its fur. Finally falling asleep with that warm ball of fur curled up against him.