*POKE*

*POKE*

*POKE*

*SLAM*

“IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

I noh-blinked and looked down at Rui’s tear-streaked face. She was worried and sad. Crouching in the corner halfway while my mind pieced things together was all I could do. Rui-chan gave me a jumpstart with her prodding.

I rubbed my noh-head and noh-smiled. She was so loud. For a moment I wondered why my noh-face hurt. Ah, Rui-chan. It was her. She used to pack more of a punch. Maybe she wasn’t serious.

“Ah, I’m sorry. My mind is a mess right now.” I clutched at my head.

“What happened? W-where’s... Reiko-chan?” Rui’s lip quivered as more tears leaked down her cheeks. I tilted my noh-head, noh-sighing. I reached down to stroke her face gently.

“It’s..." She flinched away from my touch.

Alright… why? My hand fell to my side. “Why did you shy away from me?”

Rui gulped nervously. “Y-you changed... I-I think... you completely turned..." More tears leaked down her cheeks. W-wait... are those tears just for Reiko-chan? No... she’s crying for me too.

I lifted my hands to stare at my black pitch clawed hands. My sentai costume was gone. I was a pillar of darkness just like Reiko-chan had become.

I rightened myself. I’d grown before when I’d touched a noh-face’s power, but my natural height was the same as Reiko-chan was after transforming. I checked my mental faculties.

Rui quivered and fidgeted. “Y-you’re scaring me, Susumu.”

I noh-sighed. “Haaah... I’ve never seen you like this before, Rui-chan. It doesn’t suit you to wear this kind of a worried face.” I gently lowered my hand to her and she flinched again. Shadows of the fear which I was used to seeing on the faces of everyone around me were reflected in her small cute face. I couldn’t blame her. I’d truly become a monster. No... I’m no monster. I’m gentle and I won’t do what Reiko-chan did. Yet I wonder if I will remain like this for the rest of my life just like Reiko-chan. Was this the result of her combining her soul or something else with me? Those questions nagged at me until something clicked inside. I realised that it was for the sake of powering me up. She gave me everything she could, just to support us in our fight with Mitsuhiko. I didn’t know what might come of it, but Mitsuhiko had to pay for everything. Power surged throughout my noh-body.

Ah, Enenra. Thoughts of that smoke-like creature filled my mind. I think I might stand a chance against it, now. My claws were nebulous and dark. I clenched them into a fist. Will my mind fragment if I take too long to take him down?

But isn’t there a chance I can regain my humanity? I can take care of Rui-chan no matter the form I take. I noh-smiled.

No, I can’t take Enenra yet. I’m not motivated enough yet. Consciousness requires purpose and power of will. Can I muster it? Rui-chan may know.

“Idiot! We need to beat that horrible man! We don’t have time to sit here doing nothing!” Rui sobbed.

“Rui-chan, I understand that. Tell me, how does consciousness power work?”

Rui blinked as she looked up at me, wiping her tears away. “I suppose we haven’t talked about it in depth. I know the theories my father taught me. Being able to practice them myself is impossible. I have n-no power.” She sobbed. “I’ve told you about it before. I can’t do this job the same way he did.”

“I know…” I tilted my head as I spoke gently, “That’s why I didn’t want you to risk your life.” Rui-chan looked at me uncertainly.

“You’re so strange, right now. A--” She cut herself off and instead focused on the question before. “Consciousness is your will of power. You exert your spiritual power’s influence on the world. You can do it without tools, but it’s far harder to affect reality. Theory states that people or objects we have faith in are imbued with spiritual power. The more you do it, the better. That’s how kami were born, and yokai. We are bending the world to our will. You have the bracelet I gave you. It will be an excellent tool. I have faith that you can do it, Susumu.”

She has faith in me. Even though she looks terrified of me? It’s up to me now, because somehow I have some of this ability she’s speaking about. And she does not, but it doesn’t matter. I reasoned my way through the concept. I thought about what she’d said before. Even clothes can be a focus. I don’t want to be a terrifying monster. Sentai have a great deal of power. In the end, they always defeat evil. I looked down at the bracelet with a noh-smile. I couldn’t discount the power of the bracelet, but if consciousness was the same as faith...

“Rui-chan,” I gazed down at Rui-chan. “If I wear Natalia-sama’s costume, would her faith power me up? What about Ume-chan? Would the costume itself act as a focus?”

Rui smiled faintly as she rubbed her eyes. “Susumu, I was talking out my butt earlier. I thought it’d be fun to march into battle with you dressed as a sentai warrior. Natalia-sama seemed to agree with my hunch. It was a hastily constructed plan. I thought it would be a good idea to do this mostly because we had to hide your face, otherwise it would screw up Akuchi’s performance, not that that worked out either. Besides that, Reiko-chan's face must not fall into Mitsuhiko’s clutches. There’s no point I can see in wearing that costume now, though. It’s useless now.” She shrugged.

I looked past her to see where my helmet had washed up by the hole in the wall. It was peering at me seemingly as though it challenged me to do what I planned. “Nonsense or not, I want to be a hero. I don’t want to be some nebulous villainous monster. I can’t face evil like this. How could I truly believe in myself looking and feeling like this?” I extended my claws and examined the sharp points. Everything but my face was pure darkness.

“It’s inanimate, Susumu. You’re a noh-face. Don’t they gain power from others’ faces? Y-you can have mine if it helps you. At least I can help by sacrificing myself too.” Rui looked sad and worried.

“Supposedly, but faces never made Reiko-chan truly feel better. Even though she gained power, the price for it was that she lost her mind. I refuse to gain power based on the suffering of others and I certainly won’t take yours. Not even if it means being like this for my whole life.” I walked towards the opening in the wall. I don’t think I had legs anymore; rather, I glided.

“You’ll look silly. It’ll just be pulling some plastic down over your face. That’s not a real face, and it’s a foolish childish dream,” Rui called after me. “Don’t waste time with this nonsense!”

I noh-looked over my shoulder as I floated through the gap. “Rui-chan, please believe in me. Pretend that I’m a real sentai ranger. Cheer me on!” I picked up the helmet, turning to face her. I held it in both hands as I looked into her eyes..

Rui strode to me, her face was conflicted. “I believe in you, Susumu. But Sentai are foolish. It’s for children. I’m not a child.”

I noh-smiled. “Yet I ask you. Believe in me as a sentai hero. Please.”

“..."

“..............”

“.... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You’re amazing, Susumu.” Rui was no longer angry or sad. She was on the point of rolling on the floor with her laughter. “You want to turn our last fight into a joke!” Rui giggled. “It’s incredible. Do you really... ?”

“Yes.” I noh-grinned at her. “I really believe in sentai, and I believe you aren’t as worthless as you seem to think. Normal human beings created kami, didn’t they? That’s what you said. Believe in me.” Rui-chan laughed softly.

“One more thing. Do you know ‘Caramelldansen’? If you do that for me, I’ll tear this tower down with my bare hands.” I raised my noh-helmet.

“--’C-caramelldansen’?” Rui stomped. “Don’t make a fool of..."

“Please.”

She shook her head and blushed intensely. “Oh crap, I can’t say no.” She hesitated, but she started moving her hands and her hips. Her hands reached forehead level and she smiled cutely as she shook those hips. I couldn’t help doing the same, holding the helmet. Rui laughed even harder. I giggled, holding the helmet as I moved my noh-hips. The song played in my head.

Elevated by the mood and the warm smile on Rui’s face, I readied myself. I slammed down the helmet.

An explosion of silver light filled the hallway, making everything perfectly visible. The faith of everyone filled me to the beat of ’Caramelldansen’. In a flash, I was reduced to my typical height. I stood, feeling even more powerful than I had. The bracelet warped and wrapped itself around my chest, forming gold and jade armor. The armor glowed incandescently.

Rui-chan gaped at me in awe, followed by falling into further gales of laughter. She resumed her dance, while her grin broadened.

“Let’s jump into action!” I exclaimed, pumping my fist. I seized Rui-chan and threw her into the air to land on my shoulders. “URRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!” I screamed happily as I charged up the hallway.