Chapter 2: Goro

Stumbling back into his temporal form, Kaiyo Omo clutched at his chest where it still burned from the Candle Cannon. Manipulating water from the foot of water he stood in, the wound steamed as it evaporated and calmed the pain, but not healing the scar.

“Of all the Hanabi Buso to not retire, of course Hanabi Ryu wouldn’t,” Kaiyo Omo’s complaint was directed to no one, but it helped him concentrate on moving and not thinking about the pain. “Fourteen years of being a pain in my back,” he continued.

“And fourteen years of opposition well spent,” a voice echoed from up ahead. The tunnel Kaiyo Omo looked down was pitch black, but he could still clear as day and spotted a stark black wolf approaching him. Its fur was thick and spiky, and its big red eyes gave it an air of danger and distrust, but that’s exactly how he knew the wolf was on his side.

“Oh, it’s just you Trimy,” Kaiyo Omo said, standing up straight and stretching, pretending that the burn on his chest didn’t exist.

“You gonna be alright, Goro?” the wolf mouthed, chuckling to itself as it began to walk beside the now disintegrating Kaiyo Omo. “Hanabi Ryu did a real number on you. Sure you won’t just keel over from the humiliation?” It continued to chuckle until it yelped from Kaiyo Omo yanking on its tail.

“Keep the jokes to a minimum, Trimy, I let her win.” Kaiyo Omo explained.

“Oh sure,” Trimy said sarcastically. “That explains the sweat beating down your face, and the hunch in your back.”

Goro finally took notice that his body wasn’t trying to hide the pain anymore and went to comfort his chest, but stopped and instead unhooked the chain of his cloak and began removing the other armament around his neck, head, hips and feet.

“Are you alright?” Trimy asked, no longer trying jap at Goro’s expense.

The tentacles and hood that surrounded Goro flopped and became cloth as it laid plain on his forearm as a black jacket, with two daggers, two large talons, a crown, and a necklace all held in his right hand.

“I’ll manage,” Goro reassured Trimy, pulling on the collar of his shirt, trying to find some comfort in his human form. Wearing black slacks and a white T-shirt, Goro fished out his glasses from a pocket in his cloak, as well as the iron cube he had found at the bottom of the river.

“Here,” Goro tossed the cube to Trimy, who expertly caught it in its mouth.

“Goob Bork,” Trimy purposefully talked through his mouth, earning a head shake from Goro as they walked further down the ethereal dark hallway before coming to a pair of large doors.

“Do you mind?” Goro asked Trimy. Who perked up to attention and dropped the cube before approaching the doors and scratched it with its claws. The colossal double doors started to glow dark blue and swung open, dust and bits of rock sprinkling onto them. Goro stood up straight and gave it one more attempt at faking an uninjured state before light began to stream onto them as they entered Tanglamar.

Lit by three rotating blue suns overhead, Tanglamar captured the dark blue sky within its ancient architecture and exotic plant life. Towering castles, glowing plants, and its streets and buildings packed with monsters of all kinds, acting a lot like people, because Goro, they were people. And it didn’t take too long for the locals to hear the doors opening and spot the tall human and his wolf companion walking down the street.

“Goro and Trimy are back!” Shouted a turtle headed man from down the main street. Others turned and followed the turtle man as they surrounded the two. “Welcome home, Goro!”

“It’s good to be home,” Goro agreed. Here everybody knew Goro, not that the human world didn’t know him, but whereas the humans knew him as nothing more than a villain, the monsters of Tanglamar know him as Goro, another monster playing the role that his forefathers played, as humanity’s bain and Tanglamar’s champion. For generations monsters like Goro have always invaded earth, caused chaos and kept the humans in subjugation in one way or another. Causing natural disasters, scaring people into making up legends and ghost stories about them. Anything to be the necessary evil that the universe needed to stay in check. And Goro was willing to do just that. But in the midst of the praise and the hellos from the crowd around him, Goro felt the hum from the phone in his pocket. Pulling the flip phone out, he noticed he had six texts, and checked them promptly.

Katsuo: We’re all at the fortress on Earth, awaiting orders.

Denki: Fortress my butt…

Shingo: I second big cat’s notion to call it a fortress!

Rin: Third.

Katsuo: You’re outvoted, Denki, HAHA!

There were no more replies, no doubt because they were all in the same room and Denki probably didn’t feel like continuing the conversation over text.

Shingo: Are you on your way?

But before Goro could reply, he heard his name from three tiny voices moving through the crowd.

“Goro, Goro, Goro!” Three kids called up to him. “Can we play with your phone again, please!” The three were in fact triplets, all with giant four fingered claws for hands and dragon heads, each with a different number of horns ranging from one to three and wearing thick coats made of black fur. A fashion that most monsters shared except Goro at the moment.

“Sorry, little guys.” Goro said, flipping it shut and putting the phone away. “The last time I let you play with it, you almost broke it. Maybe another time.” He said, keeling down to talk to them. The three dragon children, looking sad from the rejection, were quickly pulled back by their human looking mother by the collars of their coats, who bowed and apologized to Goro for them as he stood back up.

“When you’re older and can more easily shapeshift, we’ll go to the human world and get each of you one of your own,” Their mother scolded. “Sorry, Goro-San, I’ll keep my tycks in line.”

“No harm done,” Goro said, tapping each of the dragon kids’ heads. “Be good to your mother kids, and maybe you can become champions yourself someday.” He finished saying before moving through the rest of the crowd. Others complimented and made greetings to Goro and Trimy as they passed by, all going back to their business as Goro and his wolf compatriet came to the edge of their ancient city. The stars were in full view of them as the street before them ended in front of a cassim of space and darkness. And just ahead of them, beyond the abyss, stood a tower made of brick and crumbling. A castle set aside from the rest of Tanglamar, the Champions Fort.

“Bou breally bever geb ubed bo bhis?” Trimy talked around the cube in his mouth. He was referring to Goro free of falling, but suppressing that fear for but a moment, Goro pretending again, as though nothing scared him.

“Just telepath with me already,” Goro said, closing his eyes before taking the first steps out into the emptiness of space. The air underneath pushed up and steadied his footing. Goro opened his eyes looking forward and kept moving. Trimy was beside him but outpaced Goro who refused to look down. And when they finally reached the tower Goro could breath easily, stretching, though not too much to avoid hurting his chest, and walked in after Trimy.

Within the tower was a hollowed out center with the ceiling broken and open to the sky. Tanglamar’s three azur suns spun overhead, providing all the light needed to illuminate the tower itself. Large cobblestone bricks had been placed around a partially destroyed round table. And engraved into the stone pillars behind each seat depicted a different member of the former Osoroshi Kaidame, Goro’s friends.

Saru Omo the Jungle Beast, Okami Omo the Night Beast, Taka Omo the Sky Beast, Raion Omo the Primal Beast, and finally Kaiyo Omo, the Eldrich Beast. The monkey, wolf, hawk and lion each represented a different member of the Osoroshi Kaidame. And with each time that Goro passed by them, he remembered the times when he and his friends would wreak havoc on Earth, and stand face to face against the forces of the spark, the Hanabi Buso.

“Will you be taking a rest here for now?” Trimy asked, establishing a link between their thoughts.

“No, I have a get-together with the others on Earth today,” Goro began, putting away the different armaments in his hand on the empty mantle on the far left side of the tower. “Give my regards to the others, I’ll be back la-” Goro stopped as he walked past his seat at the table and bumped into a giant shadowy figure of a monster. Hooded but otherwise wrapped in a similar black material that made up Goro’s cloak of the Ocean King. The monster’s head was birdlike, his black beak sticking out of the wrappings, and his deep red eyes glowed as he peered down at Goro.

“Going to Terra?” The giant bird creature asked, quizzically, its head tilting slightly.

“Yes, I’m heading to Earth, Master Martria,” Goro corrected him with a roll of his eyes.

“Hmph, it is called Terra, and it will always be called Terra for as long as Tanglamar remains Tanglamrar.” Martria stated, walking past Goro and towards Trimy. Picking up the wolf, Martria shook it a little before turning back to Goro. “I… Still do not like this thing.” Martira said, growling at the helpless wolf.

“Put him Master Martria, I’ll need him for something later.” Goro ordered. But Martria merely perked up at the “something” Goro was referring to.

“Another rampage?” Martria asked, excited.

“Not exactly, just some mild damage to keep the humans aware of us,” Goro explained.

“Hmm…” The hum of Martia’s voice almost sounded angry, but that was how he always sounded to Goro. “I remember back when we attacked kingdoms in our colossal forms, those were the days.”

“Yes, very nice, but… Ack! Do you mind?” Trimy voiced, trying desperately to pry its head free of Martria’s grip. Martria let go all at once, plopping Trimy onto the floor, he whimpered, and dashed behind Goro as Martria turned to meet Goro’s eyes again.

“Give the others my greeting,” Martria said before stomping out of the tower and over to Tanglamar proper. Goro waved the old monster farewell and turned to Trimy.

“Is Daldare here?” Goro asked.

“The Old Primal Beast? No.” Trimy explained. “Haven’t seen him in weeks. Must still be exploring deep space. Why?”

Goro sniffed, disappointed but no worse for wear for not being able to see his own personal. He turned his attention to the portal at the back of the tower. Waving his hand, the archway lit up and red light streamed through the portal.

“Safe travels,” Trimy told Goro, standing back behind the half broken table.

“Not coming with?” Goro asked, to which Trimy shrugged.

“I have some things to take care of back in Tanglamar.”

“What, finally found yourself a hobby, Trimy?”

“You could say that,” Trimy teased, rubbing his neck from where Martria squeezed him. “We all got to find something else to do before long. Unless you’re fine with ending up like Martria and Daldare.” Trimy meant it as a joke, but Goro still took what he said seriously enough.

Goro thought long and hard about his mentors, two of the original destined adversaries of mankind. To Goro they were an inspiration as a monster of Tanglamar himself. He was proud to call himself the leader of the Osoroshi Kaidame. But the state that his masters were in did make him think twice about over using the powers of the armaments. They would often warn him and his friends who shared the same responsibility, that those who die with their armament will live again as weapons in a monster’s guise. And the thought that Martira was nothing more than a corpse, made Goro’s chest hurt more than it already did. His friends had all retired to avoid the transformation, and Goro was the only one left still keeping up the role, still at risk of the change, but ready to do so if he needed to.

Goro then looked to Trimy, smiled and before stepping through the portal asked, “How did you become the wolf of the armaments, Trimy?”

Trimy, surprised as to the question, put on a quizzical look and scratched its head. “Don’t remember,” it said. But Goro could tell that was a lie. It was always when Trimy was at his most calm that he knew he was keeping something from him. But the need to know didn’t outweigh his need to get going, and moved for the portal.

“Well, just asking, later, Trimy.”

“Later, Goro,” Trimy waved, and Goro was off. The sound of the portal closing behind him whipped past his ears and he was again on Earth, behind the Edamame Cafe, where he worked. Keeping an eye out for prying eyes and finding none, reached for the door handle and stopped. Goro rested his head against the door, his mind running through with what he wanted for his life and its future.

Ever since the ripe young age of fifteen, Goro and his friends had done their best as monsters of Tanglamar to hold up their side of causality and play the villains for the people of Earth. And after integrating into human society, learning their ways, how they think, and how they react, Goro, along with his comrades all found themselves taking a liking to this world they swore to conquer. As Goro thought about it, more and more of his people from Tanglamar had learned how to shapeshift and move amongst the humans as well. And that alone filled him with comfort and reassurance in his decision. That when the day comes and his link with the armaments ceases to be, he’d like to retire here, as a human. But that didn’t mean his life wouldn’t be saddled with any less hardship.

The door that he was leaning on head first smacked him in the face and he cried out in pain.

“Son of a-”

“Oh gosh, oh gosh, sir, I am so sorry!” Leaning up, Goro peared at the apron wearing, hairnet haired, short, stammering and panicked woman in front of him, suppressed the urge to transform and wreak havoc, breathed deeply before standing up and dusting himself off.

“Don’t worry about it, Kyoko,” Goro said in his calmest voice, smiling. However Kyoko just stood there, shaken and standing at attention with her eyes shut tight.

“Knock it off,” Goro said, slapping her salute out of the air and walking past her. “If a human saw that there’d be questions.”

“Sorry sir,” Kyoko apologized, following after him. The back door to the cafe led right into the storage room, where boxes of coffee beans, bread for toast and paper cups stacked all the way to the top of the ceiling.

“I said don’t worry about it,” Goro reminded her as they entered the kitchen. “And remember, we’re coworkers here, so it's okay to call me Goro.”

“Yes sir, sorry sir,” Kyoko followed after, her eyes still shut, waiting for another slap or the like, only to collide with his back halfway through the kitchen. To Kyoko, Goro was glaring, but to Goro, he just felt tired. His eyes drooped as he glanced around, he saw all of the other workers, not making a fuss or complaining about the disturbance he and Kyoko were making and sighed. There were five “people” in total in the back of the store, and all of them were some manner of monster or other, Kyoko included. The kitchen itself was very well kept besides the claw marks lining the brick floor. as besides their top halves still disguised as typical Japanese, their bottom halves were still showing off their monstrous appendages. Kyoko had dark gray raptor legs, and the others ranged from thick clawed elephant feet to slender spikes for legs to balance on.

Goro almost reminded them that they needed to be fully human to work in the human world, but then he remembered what their lackadaisical boss had told him their working condition policies. That it was “easier” for them to work with more comfortable legs, instead of stimpy human ones.

“Goro sir, I’m so sorry for hitting you in the head with the door.” But Kyoko saying that only sent the rest of the workers on edge, making them stiffer and more afraid than before. Goro plamed his head, the slight bump from the door had already healed and settled down, unlike the burn on his chest. He breathed in one final time and turned around and flicked Kyoko’s head lightly.

“For the last time, call me Goro, we’re coworkers,” he said. Kyoko had regained her complexion and relaxed, allowing the rest of the staff to do the same. “And that goes for the rest of you. We’re supposed to be casual while we work here, so forget that I’m Kaiyo Omo while we work. I’ll be closing up shop tonight so the rest of you can go home after five today.” Goro’s coworkers and fellow monsters started to smile, happy that he wasn’t enraged at them for any reason. The kitchen seemed like a different place now, and it was all thanks to Goro’s social skills.

See, I’m not always a horrible monster. He thought, hands on his hips and proud of it. But the moment had passed and now the only thing on his mind was work.

“Are there any tables that are being waited on?” Goro asked Kyoko. Who snapped out of her stupor of happiness and saluted again.

“Yes, sir!” She said, getting another slap in the hand from Goro.

“Where at?” Goro asked, putting on a green apron and quickly tying the knot behind him.

“At the center front window booth, four of our best customers!” Kyoko saluted again but moved her hand to scratch her head instead. Goro was ready to slap her hand again, but withheld it.

“Have they ordered anything yet?”

“Three black coffees si- er, Goro. One of them arrived late. Should I ask what she wants before you deliver their coffee?”

“No, I’ll serve them and ask her myself. Is it busy?” Goro asked finally while adjusting his name tag.

“Very busy, as always.” Kyoko answered.

“Good work, keep it up you monsters!” Goro gave a big smile to the staff before picking up a tray of three fresh coffees and walked out into the serving area. And just like Kyoko said, the cafe was packed with customers. Moving from behind the counter to the back of the cafe, Goro made the rounds and greeted regulars as he zigzagged through the center tables, saying hello to new faces just as any upstanding employee would. And like Tanglamar, despite working for the enemy, Goro looked out among the humans, spotting the occasional monster from his world, disguised and living in the midst of the humans and their world. And in spending half his life terrorizing the earthlings, and fighting their champions, Goro found himself longing to become more apart of it.

He longed for something, or rather, someone to link him to this human life of his. The air of young love was almost everywhere for his customers. Many a couple filled the tables, except for the occasional diligent student off by themselves and of course his friends in the very back corner of the cafe.

“Afternoon,” Goro said as he approached them. They being his comrades, and the former members of the Osoroshi Kaidame.

“Saw the news broadcast, leader, shame you had to take a hit like that to get at the armament, but hey, a victory’s a victory,” said the one with the cleanest cut of black hair, Denki. He wore a cool suit with a white scarf and glasses. Formerly the Night Beast, his true form was a werewolf. The best looking of their little group by far according to Goro, and easily the biggest ladies man.

“And thanks for giving my armament some use, I hope Hanabi Ryu’s ears are still ringing!” Said the toughest and biggest of them, Katsuo. Unmistakably the former Primal Beast, his true form being a proud lion headed brutt. Looking quite like a foreigner, his blonde hair was messy and unkempt. And that along with the leather jacket he always wore gave him all the attention he deserved.

“Not to mention Golden Roar did a number on my throat too,” Goro admitted, rubbing his neck.

“Just don’t take our armaments too lightly, they can’t be attuned to you in the same way they were to us. I’d suggest asking Trimy for a new one to work better with your soul. But seeing as your time as a champion is nearing its end, it’d probably be best to stick with what you know.” Said the most unassuming of the group, whereas the rest looked like thugs in some shape or form, Rin, the Sky Beast, wore an old blue hoodie and jeans. Looking like the typical college student, reading his book.

“Thanks, Rin, I'll keep that in mind,” Goro agreed reluctantly, for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Oh can it, Rin!” Shouted the last one of their crew. “Use whatever armament gives you the upperhand, Goro. That’s what I always did,” said Shingo, the former Jungle Beast. Dyed blonde hair, Shingo fancied that flashiest clothes he could get his hands on. And today wore a leopard print jacket, with several shark teeth necklaces and a red beanie to not match with his green shorts.

“If I recall, you were the only one of us who never truly attuned with your armament, right?” Goro asked.

“Yeah, so? I’ve used all of you guys’ armaments at least once,” Shingo said.

“Yes, and how many times did you almost die doing so?” Rin poised the question, but Shingo only scowled. Which prompted the others to laugh, including Goro. Katsuo’s deep voice booming, Denki trying to suppress the urge, Rin smiling ear to ear, and Shingo joining in after a short pout. It was moments like these that made the hard times like being Kaiyo Omo worthwhile. It made the tough days bearable, and the pain in his chest felt as though it was barely there.

Turning his head, still aware that he had a job to do, Goro spotted the group of four girls off at the front of the store. Figuring he should deliver the coffees and take that next order, he suddenly lost all motor funtion at what he saw. The others noticed Goro’s blank stare and looked over in that direction. Spotting the four woman, and in particular, the girl in the trench coat and sunglasses, Denki, Katsuo, Rin, and Shingo all couldn’t believe what was happening to their all powerful leader.

“You good, leader?” Shingo asked, nudging him.

“Yeah, totally fine…” Goro said, taking his leave from his friends and towards his next customers. The woman in the trench coat with the long black hair took off her sunglasses and brushed her hair back over her ear. Her hair seemed to shimmer as the sunlight hit her bright blue eyes perfectly. He doubled back to the counter again, out of fear? Instinct? He didn’t understand exactly why, but he couldn’t go over there and just watched from afar.

For a good while, Goro’s friends and Kyoko both watched Goro just stand there as he thought through scenario after scenario on how to approach her, and how to best introduce himself without seeming like too much of an idiot.

“Goro, sir, the coffee,” Kyoko whispered to him, snapping him out of his daydream of the perfect introduction and pointing down at the now cold coffees on his tray.

“Oh, I’ll get right on it!” he blurted, taking the coffee tray with him before Kyoko could replace the drinks, and found himself back in the middle of the cafe. His heart was beating faster, and felt like he wanted to run away.

But why would I? She’s just a human. So why do I feel like I have this vice around my heart? He thought. But all of this thinking was just avoiding the issue.

I need to give the customers coffee, and I need to take her order. He thought to himself calmly, beginning to make his way over to them. Coffee, order, coffee, order, coffee… Then his eyes met with her’s, and Goro turned back around and retreated to his friends.

“Goro, are you okay?” Denki asked. But Goro just shook his head.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he repeated. Trying to think why he was acting so weird.

“I haven’t seen you this scared in a long time!” Katsuo laughed and the others joined, except Rin.

“Goro’s not scared,” he said, barely paying attention and reading his book. All eyes turned to Rin, and Goro, the most lost out of all of them, turned to Rin, for the answer.

“He’s in love…”