I will freely admit, I was feeling nervous. Okaa-san had completed my dress in about a week. She used white with gold for the outermost skirt. My shoulders and upper arms were exposed while my forearms had sleeves from the elbow to my fingers. The interior of the sleeves and the fluffy material at my elbows were gold. My bodice was white with gold trim on top. The exposed petticoats were white like the train of my dress. This was the first time I wore a dress with a train. I was at my makeup mirror, putting on lipstick. When I finished, I noticed how worried I look, especially without my tiara on. That thing was like a security blanket. I started breathing deeply and unclenched my fingers. \u201cYou\u2019ve been through worse, girl,\u201d I whispered to myself. \u201cBesides, your friends believe in you.\u201d I heard a knock. \u201cCome in,\u201d I called. Hiroki poked his head through the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re ready,\u201d he reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn my way,\u201d I said. Hiroki left the door open. No turning back. Time to be a Queen. I walked slowly, noticing the details of the hallway from my room to the Gateway room. It took a minute to get there. When I did, I saw the aisle I was going to walk down. Death and her team, our families, the F.N.S, X-PO, Turretorg, Discornia, Team 10, the Stormtroopers and Vader, Rusty, the Brigadier, Elphaba, Chell, and Hongo were on either side. Ursula and our Transformer allies had already gone home. Batman, Wyldstyle, and Gandalf were on the Gateway platform. Gandalf was in the center, Batman was on his right, Wyldstyle was on his left. I walked down the aisle and got on the Gateway pad in front of Gandalf. When I stopped, I knelt down. Batman handed Gandalf a simple gold crown with three points on the front and an oval shaped sapphire at the base of each point. Gandalf accepted the crown and first raised it for all to see, then lowered it onto my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow come the days of the Queen,\u201d called Gandalf. \u201cMay they be blessed.\u201d I gave a small smile, then rose and turned to face my friends. I was met with applause and a teary-eyed Okaa-san. As I looked, I realized that they wanted me to assume more power, so I can better help them, and they can better help me. The butterflies in my stomach went down as I motioned for quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d I began. \u201cAll of you. In all my years, I never had such valuable friends and family. Without you, I would be a totally different person. I am truly grateful to have you as my friends and family, even those that were once thought of as fiction. So, I say again, thank you, and may our days be blessed.\u201d I was met with applause. \u201cNow then,\u201d I decreed after it had died down, \u201cto the cafeteria? Ready to feast?\u201d I was met with cheers. \u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d I called. We sojourned to the cafeteria. As we ate and drank, I noticed War get something on her phone. \u201cEverything alright?\u201d I asked in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot really,\u201d grunted War in the same low tone. She called Death over. My brother joined us. \u201cI just got a message saying J\u014d had entered the campus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJ\u014d?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShigeru J\u014d,\u201d whispered Death, \u201ca guest lecturer when we have a history lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe name sounds familiar,\u201d muttered Hiroki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHiroki, you, of all people, should know him!\u201d whispered Death. \u201cHe\u2019s the 7th Showa Era Rider, the 7th Rider of all Riders, Kamen Rider Stronger!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStronger?! Seriously?!\u201d yelped Hiroki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, and it said he just entered After Academy,\u201d grunted War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, another lecture?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExcept, he\u2019s been in the campus for a week now,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026disturbing,\u201d I muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPardon me,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cI must investigate this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSee you later, then,\u201d I bid. Death bowed and left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf this worries Death, should it worry us?\u201d asked Hiroki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI should hope not,\u201d grunted War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had arrived back at After Academy. Something was going up my spine and it wasn\u2019t good. I entered the selectively permeable wall and found J\u014d. He was with his girlfriend, Misaki Yuriko. They both had the halo mark on their brow to show that they were dead. Yuriko noticed that J\u014d\u2019s eye and hand were ashen gray. J\u014d was confused about it. He brought it to my attention and fear gripped my heart. I ordered a Lockdown. Nothing was going in or out. \u201cWhat\u2019s gotten into you?!\u201d asked J\u014d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe only way any dead person\u2019s body parts would go ashen,\u201d I explained, \u201cwould be because those parts were stolen from your grave!\u201d J\u014d and Yuriko then realized the implications. I got my belt on. \u201cHenshin!\u201d I announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDeath!\u201d called my belt. My suit formed. Yuriko jumped into the air and landed in a red, black, and yellow suit with a ladybug motif. This was her hero form, Denpa Ningen Tackle (Electro-wave Human, Tackle). J\u014d took his jacket off to reveal a yellow shirt with a large, black S on the front. He then stuck his right arm to the side and his left arm pointed towards the right. He then rotated his arms so they were sticking out to the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHenshin!\u201d he announced. He then pulled an imaginary rip cord on his left arm with his right. \u201cSTRONGER!\u201d His suit appeared in a crackle of electricity. The belt looked like an eight-pointed star. His suit was black with red shoulder pads connecting at the rib cage and sporting a large, black S. He was sporting a white scarf. The whole motif was based off the Rhinoceros beetle. This was Kamen Rider Stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs there any artefact that the intruder would want?\u201d asked Tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is one,\u201d I whispered. \u201cWe\u2019d best check it out.\u201d I led the two heroes to the room where the Foundation Saber was kept. Shocker Nova Combatmen were accompanying Igura. One of them alerted her to our presence. Igura turned to see us. Her left hand looked like it belonged on a man and her eyes were a different color. One was black, the other was brown. What scared me was that her right arm was like a Vortonian\u2019s. I didn\u2019t need to guess the donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell now, Kamen Rider Stronger!\u201d she chuckled. \u201cThank you for donating your hand and eye to me. Rest assured; you will not be forgotten when the new multiversal order is here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBack away from that room!\u201d I whispered. \u201cI\u2019m warning you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re warning me?\u201d hissed Igura. \u201cNo, I\u2019M warning YOU! Don\u2019t interfere. You have no idea what I\u2019m capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have no idea what that blade will do to your psyche!\u201d I whispered. \u201cYou\u2019re about to unleash forces you cannot control, nor comprehend! The Foundation Saber\u2019s power will tear you asunder!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI AM power!\u201d growled Igura. She turned to her men. \u201cKeep them occupied.\u201d The Combatmen swarmed us, slowing us down sufficiently to allow Igura access. She entered the wall and I went through enough to clear a path. I went through the wall, too late. She had already disabled the security measures and grabbed the sword. She then put it in a metal harness shaped like a blade. After that, the sword started unleashing power, as did Igura. The energies synced with each other, signifying that Igura had mastered the Foundation Saber. \u201cAt last, the power of the multiverse belongs to ME!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo\u2026\u201d I breathed, my transformation cancelling automatically. I fell to my knees. Igura then put the tip of the blade at my throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would cleave you in two for taking my Hiro\u2019s soul!\u201d she snarled. She then guided my head upwards with the sword. \u201cBut, you didn\u2019t, did you?\u201d I was confused. \u201cI looked through your Ledger of the Dead,\u201d explained Igura. \u201cYou keep track of all the souls you\u2019ve claimed. Hiro\u2019s soul is marked with a blue circle instead of a green check mark. You couldn\u2019t find his soul in Chima, could you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026No, I couldn\u2019t,\u201d I admitted. \u201cHowever, Hiro is dead and will remain so!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTime will tell,\u201d laughed Igura. She then grabbed me by the hair and dragged me out of the room. She released me and ordered her men to retreat. Stronger and Tackle looked and saw Igura make a circle with the Foundation Saber, creating a rift. \u201cFarewell,\u201d she bid. She and her Combatmen departed. Stronger and Tackle checked me over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis war has just tipped in the enemy\u2019s favor,\u201d I muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA harness for the blade?\u201d asked Vortech when I returned. \u201cSurely my genetic donation would be sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVortech, you warned me about the power this thing has,\u201d I replied. \u201cI am not a fool. For all I knew, the sword\u2019s power would still make me lose my mind, even with my new Vortonian arm. Better to play it safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFair point,\u201d conceded Vortech. \u201cNow, we should be prepared for Universe G-H-0-5-T-8-U-5-T-3-R-5-1-9-8-4. Zod will be in charge and Sludgiona will take your place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPardon?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have bigger priorities, locating Hiro\u2019s soul, for a start,\u201d replied Vortech. \u201cWhy settle for just one edge when we have a chance for two?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, you want me to find Hiro and bring him back to us?\u201d I quizzed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCorrect,\u201d confirmed Vortech. \u201cDo not come back empty-handed again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnderstood,\u201d I obliged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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