[Sentai]

Kamen Rider Hikari (ReBirth)

“There it is! Cannons, full burst!” The armored police each took their positions around their uniformed commander, shouldering their Pulse Cannons. The targeting reticules swirled before their eyes. Focusing on the lumbering creature shuffling itself closer towards their defensive line. Red.. Red… GREEN! “FIRE!” Two prongs on the barrel of each cannon sprung forward violently. Acting like a dousing rod, drawing the power stored inside each cannon. Running along the length of the prongs like ripples of purple energy. The cannon barrel began to glow, forming this large ball of energy. Like a miniature white sun.. And when the cannons reached full power each one in turn unleashed that beam of power towards the creature’s stomach.
Dust trails moved off on either side of each beam of purest purple light streaming into the creature, making the horrible thing bend backward. Groaning his pain while the light twisted through his guts. Each of the men gathered shielded their eyes as the beast detonated. Sending debris hurtling towards the defensive line.. “Someone get eyes on that goddamned thing! NOW!” From the nearby rooftop one of his men laid prone, adjusting his thermal scope attached to his helmet. Trying to see through the haze of smoke and flames their attack had turned the public park into.
“This is Light 34. No Visual on Target, repeat, Target has been… Wait.” Through the smoke the shadow of a figure appeared. Elongated arms ending in three fingered hands which grasped hold of what looked like a long bo-staff, some sort of wrap around it’s spindly legs. Torn and shredded from the force of the explosion surrounding it. It’s long black hair, near reaching the beast’s feet, blew helplessly in the maelstrom they’d created. And then he saw the thing’s face.. Skin hanging off skeletal features, with two lidless yellow eyes swirling with power.. “Target’s survived, repeat Tar… GURK!”
Each of the soldiers turned in horror. Watching as the rooftop where their men had just been stationed erupted in an explosion violent they were each thrown to the ground. “That’s the end!” The Commander stood. Carefully brushing off the gathered dust from his full length military coat, and bent himself forward. Retrieving his hat from off the ground, adjusting it properly, and calling on the only one who save them now.. “Call Him.”

The wind was almost serene. Despite the scene of horror going on twelve stories below him, the men dying trying to beat back that unholy creation. He knew the call was coming even before his earpiece chimed and the man was already moving. One hand reaching to snap the Hikari Driver around his waist. The belt snapping around the, opened, full length military-styled jacket he wore with a segmented silver belt. The Driver though came in pieces. The main piece was already attached, a multi-bladed turbine locked inside a segmented white housing. The next two came from his wrists. Rectangular pieces snapping on either side of the turbine, starting the generator with a loud whine echoing across the empty rooftop. The next two came from the sides of the belt. Two hemispheres with snapped onto the rectangles, making the turbine glow red as it spun quicker inside the belt. And the last piece came from his necklace. Ripping it from around his neck he held the key, marked with two stylized angelic wings etched into the white metal, and plunged it into the top of the belt. “Henshin.”
His arms flung outstretched on either side of his body, the Driver exploding in white light which engulfed him completely, as the Driver rang out an echoing “K-K-KAMEN RIDER HIKARI!” Leaping from off the roof, hurtling towards the ground below, the monster’s attention turned upward. Watching helplessly as that ball of light impacted the ground creating a large crater. And in the center, as the light faded and the smoke cleared.. Stood Humanity’s last hope. The Kamen Rider Hikari!
Molded white armor with black highlights covered the new Rider, with smooth black mesh underneath. The armor started with treaded boots, leading into thigh guards. And the Driver Belt beneath segmented stomach armor and a chest guard. His gauntlets were the same as he brought them up, and adjusted them like one would gloves. The shoulder guards jutted upward like that purple Eva. A design he chose. And the helmet. Sloped back, white with a solid black, featureless face. “So you’re the new Shinimasu. Do you have a name? I like to keep track of each of you I destroy…”
The monster merely opened his toothed maw, preparing another mouth-blast like the one that decimated that rooftop moment’s before. “Heh. I guess not.” Reaching for his belt Hikari pulled out an Orange key. “Assault Hikari” Replacing the white key, Hikari drove in the Orange causing the turbine to whirr itself into life once again. “ASSAULT HIKARI, RRRRRRRIDE!” Holding his hands down at his sides, palms open towards the creature, his armor began to shift. Opening along the seams revealing gill-like vents, the helmet itself changed. Revealing, inside the once featureless black faceplate, two large compound orange eyes. And within his hands, formed from seemingly thin-air, where his twin swords. Long Katana shaped weapons with silver blades, and black handles.
The creature continued preparing his attack, growling his annoyance.. Until Hikari seemingly disappeared. That didn’t stop the Beast from charging his attack, that took Hikari plunging both swords into the Beast’s stomach from behind. And out through the other side. Lifting the beast up, hoisting him above him on his swords alone. “Hikari.. JUDGEMENT!” The swords began to glow brightly, becoming like twin suns inside the monster’s stomach.. Until, at last, it detonated in a massive explosion which engulfed him and Hikari holding him.

The Commander shielded his eyes from the blast, while he and his men awaited to see the aftermath. But the smoke cleared, and standing in the crater his power created was Hikari. Still holding his swords even as his armor’s new vents ejected steam and then sealed closed once again. Making the eyes go back into the blackness of the faceplate. “Hikari, Good..” The commander was interrupted as Hikari just walked past the man, as though he wasn’t even there. “Those men died because of your pride, General. They died because you wanted to handle this yourself. Those men will never return home.. Because you wouldn’t let me do my job. Tell that to their families, General. Tell them you got them killed.” The General began to respond.. But Hikari just kept walking away.

“Did he really deserve that, Shin?” From within the darkened room, he turned his lowered head just enough to see the slender figure occupying his door. Leaned in against the frame. “Not saying you weren’t wrong, just.. You could’ve handled the situation better. We need the military’s help with the Shinimasu.” He just continued watching her. Standing against his doorframe wearing that same red dress she always wore. The one that clung against her body like a second skin, contrasting the paleness of the skin along her exposed arms. But matching the gentle ginger of her shoulder-length hair. “Think you could try and behave a little better.. Please?”
Shin just returned his attention towards the disassembled Hikari Driver laying on the desk at his bedside. His jacket was folded over the chair beside him, letting her see the simple black tank he often wore underneath. And the tight pair of faded, torn, blue jeans over those military styled boots. For someone who didn’t like the military he sure liked dressing like them. “He was wrong.”
She should’ve expected that response, to be honest. “I know he was, Shin. I said that. But the man just watched three of his men die.. There was a time and place to tell him he was wrong, you know?” Placing his hands on his knees, Shin pushed and stood up enough to hold the key swiped from his bedside. “He wants to see me, doesn’t he, Mira?”
Mira gave a soft nod, and walked into the room close enough to lay her hand upon his exposed shoulder. “He has to, Shin. We found another Key.” Shin’s hazel eyes flashed wide for a moment as he gripped the key, grabbed his jacket, and walked with Mira towards the meeting room.

“As you know;” The General continued, even after throwing a rather nasty look towards the just entering Shin. “Whenever a Shinimasu is destroyed it leaves behind a Key, that Key is what we use to power the Hikari Driver. And gives Kamen Rider Hikari his abilities. Near as we can determine: Kamen Rider Hikari is a Shinimasu weapon.”
Mira interrupted, before Shin could interject, and shook her head as she spoke. “Not the same, General. If you’d read my report you’d know that the Hikari Driver has a completely different energy signature. Near as we can determine: The Driver was created from Shinimasu to Destroy them.”
The men gathered, each representing their own government involved with Project Hikari all nodded their heads in agreement with Dr. Mira. Much to the General’s ire. “I stand corrected then, don’t I? .. So then, Doctor, tell us what then this new key does?”
Shin spoke up this time. Leaned against the nearby wall, hands tucked into his pockets. “The power of the Key comes from the power of the Shinimasu it came from. Assault Hikari came from a Bladed Shinimasu. That Shinimasu used a Rod, and a powerful energy attack. So it would be one of those.” Opening his palm the key floated from the General’s hand and entered Shin’s upturned palm, just like the others. They all knew that meant he was tied to those creatures somehow.. Just none of them knew how. None of them had the choice either. Shin was the only one who could use the Driver, everyone else who tried ended up nearly killing themselves from the sudden power surge through their bodies.

As the meeting ended, The General stopped Mira while the others filtered from the circular room. Each of the thirty monitors showing the same spinning winged logo they’d chosen for Project Hikari. “He needs controlled, Doctor.” Mira glared, pulling her arm free from the General’s grasp. “What has you so upset General? That he told you off or that he was right? We told you our weapons can stand against a Full-Shinimasu. Only Hikari can. If anyone, owes anyone, an apology it’s you. But not to Hikari.” And as she turned to leave, she watched him over her shoulder one last time. “That attitude is why we’re Divorced now, John. And why the Prime Minister, the JSDF, and the UN.. Have put me in sole command of Hikari. You’re just support, remember that.”