Irisa sipped her coffee as she typed on her laptop. It had been a long boring night in the Tokyo hospital and she had spent the past few hours searching the net. Irisa was a young nurse. She and her mother had moved to Japan shortly after her father died, over seventeen years ago. Irisa's beeper went off, and she pulled it out of her pocket, quickly skimming over the message. Closing her laptop, she left the staff room and headed to her patient's room.
"Ilioukhine?" she glanced into the room. The young man looked up at her as she spoke. The young man was suffering from amnesia. He had been discovered in the back of an alley a few weeks before. It was amazing that he had still been alive. His arms and legs had metal grafted onto the skin. There were metal plates on his chest and back as well. The young man had been dying when he had been discovered. Since then, he had been healing miracoulously, had almost made a full recovery. However his memory had yet to return. Iliokhine was shaking in his hospital bed. He was terrified. "I had another nightmare."
"Oh?" Irisa sat down beside Ilioukhine and propped up his pillows. "The monster again?"
Ilioukhine had been having recurring nightmares of this 'monster' ever since he had been brought to the hospital. According to him, this monster was an alien with no conscience, no morals. He was a vicious murderer. It was in fact due to these dreams that he had discovered his name; Ilioukhine. The monster had called him it in one of his nightmares.
"He was different this time. He was completely psycho. And he could move objects... even people with his mind."
Irisa raised an eyebrow, "Telekenisis?"
"Yes."
"Have you told the psychiatrist about this?"
Ilioukhine's lip curled in disgust, making Irisa shiver. "That man thinks I'm crazy."
"He's just trying to help." Irisa sat back down, placing her hands in her lap.
"He's trying to get me institutionalized."
Irisa gave up trying to talk some sense into Ilioukhine. He was completely unreasonable when he was like this. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Just try to get some sleep Ilioukhine. You need to rest now."
Ilioukhine sighed and lay back, willingly trying to get back to sleep. "I just wish I knew more about my past... I know I'm getting these visions for a reason." I have to do something... the thought came to his mind immediately, but he had no idea what he had to do.
Irisa just smiled at him, "I'm sure that you'll get more snippets of your memory back soon Ilioukhine.
I hope so... Ilioukhine sighed as his eyes drifted closed.
An hour later, Ilioukhine tossed and turned in bed, in the throes of another nightmare...
Ilioukhine and another unknown man were heading down into a dark tunnel. The two of them were silent, an awkward unresolved tension between them. Just as he was about to speak, the other man turned towards him, "Shh." the man raised his flashlight, looking into the chamber,
"Why are we here?" Ilioukhine asked, raising his own flashlight.
"This chamber holds the secret to destroying that thing."
Suddenly someone spoke, "So, you've finally arrived."
The two of them spun around, turning their flashlights on the speaker. Ilioukhine's voice became dry, "No! How did you find us!"
The creature smirked with victory, his deep Russian accent taunting Ilioukhine. "That does not matter anymore." the creature raised his hand, and the other man choked as he was lifted into the air by an unseen force.
"No!" Ilioukhine rushed forward, only to be thrown back by the creature's power.
"I am invincible!" the creature cackled, "And neither you nor the Gods themselves can stop me!"
Ilioukhine was too terrified to help. He had to help that man, but he was powerless against that monster and his abilities. The creature smirked and flung the man back into a wall. The wall broke at the force and the man crumpled to the ground, unmoving. Dead, killed by a broken neck.
"No! Kevin!"
Ilioukhine awoke screaming and covered in sweat. His cheeks were wet with tears and he wiped them away. He'd never dreamt of another person before, only the monster. Iliokhine had to find that man. Maybe he could help him discover his true identity.
The next morning:
"Ilioukhine," Irisa entered the room, "breakfast is ready." the breakfast tray fell from her hands when she saw that the bed was empty and the window open, "Oh no, Ilioukhine..." she immediately rushed to the phone in the room.
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Chapter 2
Ilioukhine was helplessly lost as he walked through the streets of Japan. However he wasn't regretting his decision. His newest nightmare had fueled his forgotten courage and he was determined to find him. Honestly though, he had no idea how to find the young man in his dream. The doubts that his nightmares were just that - nightmares - came back to him then from that damn psychiatrist and he closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Even if they were just nightmares... even if this "monster" was just a figment of his imagination, the pain he felt wasn't. Ilioukhine had metal grafted into his skin that just was not normal. He knew nothing of his past. He had had a few flashes here and there. Those were mostly of a middle-aged bald slightly narcissistic man and a beautiful but very strict woman. They both wore white clothes. In Ilioukhine's mind, they must have been his parents. He hadn't told anyone about his memory flashes. They were his own, and he wasn't prepared to share them with anyone.
Ilioukhine wanted to find out who he was, why he was having these "visions", why he seemed more robotic then human. And this "Kevin" man would help him discover it. He had too.
---
Muscle League legend Robin Mask pushed a straw into his mask, sipping at his tea, and glanced down the stairs towards the closed basement door. Furious sounds of punching bags and other training equipment being destroyed could be heard. Robin had been overjoyed when his son Kevin had finally returned home not long after the Chojin Crown Tournament. He had been hoping to mend their broken relationship.
Joy however turned to despair when Kevin spent hour upon hour, day upon day in the basement training and refused to come out, even for food. If Robin hadn't ordered a servant to send food downstairs for him, he feared his son would have evantually starved. Of course, he knew why Kevin was training. And had the tables been turned, Robin would have most likely done the same thing. His son's behaviour still worried him though. Most likely... because it wasn't what he had been expecting.
What had he been expecting though? For Kevin to do what he did all those years ago? He sighed and rubbed the front of his mask tiredly. Had it really been that so long since then? It really did feel like yesterday. He could remember every match, every attack, even those that weren't his own. The Chojin Crown, the Tag Team Tournament, the Devil Knights... Robin shivered a bit although it wasn't even that cold.
No. He did not want to remember those. The New Generation had heard all the stories before, but they were just that - stories. Stories could not prepare you for the real deal. The dMp... they were children compared to the evil of the Devil Knights.
Robin berated himself for even thinking of that. The Devil Knights were dead. Those who were not became good. The Devil Knights were gone, and he shouldn't be thinking of them. But why was he? He had never thought of them before today. Not even in his darkest days.
A loud slam of a door broke Robin out of his thoughts. Kevin was heading upstairs for a shower. He was practically naked, apart from his mask and a small towel which barely covered his unmentionables which made Robin twitch violently. The last thing he wanted to see was his son's naked ass. Kevin said nothing as he passed Robin, heading upstairs and Robin found that he couldn't say anything either, too disturbed at his son's lack of clothes.
Yes. Just another normal day in the Mask household.
---
Ilioukhine sighed, running his fingers through his long silverish hair and sipping at a coke mindlessly. Okay, so he happened to be in a bar. And this was definetly not the most friendliest bar ever. And the group of huge men glancing over at him and snickering drunkenly was not helping matters either. Ilioukhine remained tense, trying not to draw attention to himself. Of course, that was not easy. In a room full of burly men, Ilioukhine stood out like a sore thumb.
It remained like this for some time, until one of the burly men staggered drunkenly over to him, sticking his face right into Ilioukhine's, "Watcha doing fag?"
Good God! Ilioukhine couldn't speak, he just coughed violently from the man's terrible booze breath and hoped that he had never in his entire life been anywhere near as drunk as this man must have been right now. The poor barman was trying to stop it before it started, but the man's pals were not letting him through.
Ilioukhine had no idea what to say, completely terrified at the fact that this huge man was practically all over him and could easily crush him. The man suddenly lunged at him, to punch his face.
Acting on pure instinct alone, Ilioukhine's hand rose up and caught the man's fist clutching down on it. The man cried out in unbelievable agony, falling to his knees, "Leggo! Leggo!" Ilioukhine's eyes widened and he released the man's hand, looking down at his own hands in horror.
"Shit!" the man was practically crying from pain, "He broke all the bones in my hand!!" Everyone else in the bar immediately began to yell and shout,
"Fuck, that guy's a Chojin!"
"No way! He's a freakin' sissy!"
Ilioukhine just ran out of the bar, his heart beating so hard in his chest. So he was a Chojin now? What was that?! He could have easily crushed that man's arm. He was strong. Unbelievably strong. And this new power actually scared him a little...
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Chapter 3
Ilioukhine tapped impatiently on a keyboard as the impossible slow dialup connection loaded the web-page. He kept his head down, trying not to cause a big scene as he had the previous night in the bar. His hands shook slightly as he remembered his strength. His unbelievable power. Ilioukhine took a deep breath and glanced back at the screen. He had come to this web cafe some time ago to do some research on Chojins. Chojins were apparantly new age "super heroes". There was this entire history of their battles. He was currently loading a list of Chojins that had competed in the last tournament - the Chojin Crown.
When the list finally loaded, the name at the top of the list made Ilioukhine sit up and take interest. Kevin Mask. Could that be the Kevin that was in his vision? There was only one way to find out... Ilioukhine jotted down the address of the Mask family's mansion in England and paid the bored employee for the use of the computer before leaving the café.
---
The aged scientiest rubbed his balding head before turning to the younger woman. "Mavra, status report."
The woman turned to him. Mavra's "The subject is doing well Adrik sir. I believe he is ready."
"You believe he is ready?" Adrik repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Mavra recoiled immediately, "Nyet, he IS ready."
Adrik nodded, crossing his arms, "And what of our other problem?"
"He is of no concern to us."
"Excellent. Then prepare the subject for deportation."
---
Ilioukhine felt strangely calm as the plane took off. Even with the sound of vomiting behind him. He looked out of the side window, looking down onto the world. For some strange reason, he wished he was out there flying beside the plane. He was snapped out of his dreams by a small boy pulling on his trouser leg, "Excuse me sir," the boy asked politely, "Will you be using your sick bag?"
"Nyet." Ilioukhine smiled, handing the bag to the boy. He smiled and bowed, "Arigato." before heading back off to the row behind Ilioukhine.
Ilioukhine just chuckled and lay back in his seat, his eyes drifting closed. Before he knew it, he was being startled awake as the entire plane shook. The previously vomitting man behind him screamed, "I'm too young and pretty to die!" Ilioukhine looked at his watch. He had been asleep for quite a while, and they should be landing any time soon.
A voice came over, "Do not panic. We are having a slight bout of turbulance that should pass in a few-" It was cut off as the plane shook again. Much harder then before. Ilioukhine's stomach began to curl unpleasently. Somehow he knew that this was no ordinary air turbulance. The seatbelt sign appeared over him and Ilioukhine did his up, clutching the sides of his seat. Behind him the small boy was trying to calm down the screaming man, yelling at him in Japanese.
Ilioukhine looked out of his window, at the dark starless sky. His hands tightened into the seat, his fingers digging into the leather. Something was just not right about this entire thing... he swallowed and closed his eyes, nervous for the first time since boarding the plane.
Evantually, something slammed down onto the top of the plane, which shook the plane so hard that all the lights went out. Everyone on the plane screamed from the force of it.
The little boy looked up, "What was that?!"
Every monitor on the plane suddenly tuned on. Two masked men were on it. They were donned in costumes that were covered with zig-zag patterns. One of them stepped forward, "I Zag and my brother Zig challenge the prince of Kinniku Planet, Mantaro Kinniku! If he does not accept, we will crash this plane and all its passengers into the ocean!"
The man behind Ilioukhine shrieked, "This is getting RIDICOULOUS! Can't I just have a normal day for once in my life?!" Ilioukhine turned around, and was staring into the terrified face of Mantaro Kinniku. He sweatdropped when he saw the state of the young man's previously dry pants. This was the Chojin Crown Champion?!
"Nisei, get up there!" the young boy shrieked.
"I'M NOT WRESTLING ON THE TOP OF AN AIRPLANE!!" Mantaro practically screamed, shaking his head furiously.
"You have no choice in the matter." the boy grabbed the young man and pulled him across the plane towards the hatch, with Mantaro kicking and screaming all the way. Ilioukhine watched, silently, before unbuckling his belt and following. If he really was a Chojin... then it was his duty to protect these people too. Following Mantaro and his small trainer to the top of the plane. Ilioukhine was surprised with how his body easily adjusted to the cold winds. Mantaro was shivering. The two masked Chojins stood on the other side of the plane, their arms crossed, chuckling to themselves.
Ilioukhine finally stepped forward, bringing all their attention to him.
"And who are you?" Zag yelled, stepping forward.
Ilioukhine rose his hand to his chest, "I am a Chojin, and as so, I have determined that this match is unfair and should become a tag team match. Mantaro and I versus you two."
The two Chojins raised invisible eyebrows, looking upon the small man. "YOU?!" Zig laughed hysterically, leaning on his brother. "Yeah right, Whatever you say pal!" he turned to his brother, wiping away some tears from the eye holes in his mask. "What do you think Zag? Wouldn't it be hilarious to see this wimp attempt to fight us."
Zag smirked and nodded, turning to Ilioukhine, "Whatever small fry. You wanna fight with the big boys, go right ahead. We ain't stopping you. Just don't go crying when you fall off the plane."
The small boy rushed to Ilioukhine, "It's not safe up here sir! You can't just invite yourself into a wrestling match! We can't protect you."
"Relax." Ilioukhine turned to the small boy, smiling wildly. "I know what I'm doing." he turned to Mantaro, "Do you mind if I go first?"
"Go right ahead!" Mantaro squeaked, backing away.
Zig chuckled and step forward, cracking his knuckles, "I'm taking this one. It'll be a good warmup."
"Go for it bro." Zag laughed, crossing his arms and sitting down on the plane roof.
Ilioukhine turned to Zig. Now this... this would be the real test of his strength. This match would prove once and for all if he was a real Chojin. Zig leapt at him and Ilioukhine ducked into a defensive position.
There was no turning back.
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Chapter 4
The first punch hurt more then Ilioukhine had expected and he was temporarily dazed from it, backing away a little. Zig laughed. Waiting on the sidelines, Mantaro was practically crying with fear. Ilioukhine looked up just in time as Zig launched at him, and he quickly dodged, drop kicking the masked Chojin. Zig yelled, "Lucky shot!" and grabbed Ilioukhine around the waist, pulling him back; "German Suplex!"
The pain that shot through Ilioukine's body when he hit the plane roof was unbearable and he almost cried out. Had he really been a Chojin... when just one move was enough to send him packing? While Ilioukhine was on the floor, Zig pulled his leg into a tight lock, causing him even more pain. "Oh come on!" Zig laughed, tightening his grip, "You're not even a Chojin are you? You're just a wannabe!"
Ilioukhine's eyes snapped open, "I AM a Chojin!" leaning back, he pulled himself up with his hands, raising himself and his opponent clear off the plane. Zag sat up, finally taking interest in the match at that, impressed at Ilioukhine's undeniable strength, Zig released Ilioukhine's leg and ran towards him, preparing for a knee drop. Ilioukhine however thrust his left elbow out, and Zig slammed directly into it, knocking the wind out of him. Zig coughed violently backing away.
Zig then practically hurled himself at Ilioukhine, poking two fingers into his eyes. Ilioukhine was not prepared for this, shrieking in pain and falling back, his eyes stinging from the pain. Zag shook his head, apparantly displeased at his brother's actions yet he had an amused tone in his voice, "That was a cheap shot brother."
Ilioukhine shuddered, unable to open his eyes. Zig suddenly came straight at him while his eyes were closed and tackled him to the ground, aiming furious punches at his face. Still in pain from the eye poke, Ilioukhine raised his arms to protect himself. The cold air did nothing to help Ilioukhine's stinging eyes, but through sheer will, he somehow opened them. He grabbed Zig's arms and pulled as hard as could, pulling the masked Chojin into a laying down bear hug, his eyes still stinging and tearing up a little from the pain.
Zig tried to wrench his body out of the bear hug, but Ilioukhine's legs locked around his waist, squeezing tighter. Zig practically screeched from the pain and began to beat his fists down upon the smaller Chojin's head. Ilioukhine winced at the sharp blows, letting go and getting back up. Zig raised his arms, "Heh, you're much better then I expected."
Ilioukhine brushed some of his white hair out of his eyes, glaring at the other Chojin. He had split his lip and he coughed, blood spilling to the plane roof. Zig launched himself at Ilioukhine again, Ilioukhine however ducked and grabbed Zig's legs, pulling him up onto his shoulders, spinning him around and pushing him up, "Airplane spin toss!" Zig slammed hard into the roof of the plane, so much so that it actually caused a small dent in the roof. Ilioukhine panted as he pulled back, looking down onto the other Chojin who wasn't moving.
The small boy began to count, "One... two... three..."
Zag yelled at his brother, "Get up Zig!"
"Four... five... six..."
Ilioukhine grabbed at his sides, shuddering with pain, looking at Zig.
"Seven... eight...."
"Zig!"
"Nine... ten!"
Zag hissed with anger and launched himself at Ilioukhine. When the punch hit him in the back of the head, Ilioukhine fell forward to the roof, dazed. Ilioukhine looked up at his tag team partner. Mantaro was shaking terrified, tears practically running down his face. Ilioukhine was bleeding all over, his eyes red. Mantaro's eyes widened, and he grabbed Ilioukhine's hand, tagging him before launching himself into the ring to attack Zag. The little boy pulled Ilioukhine away from the fight, "Are you okay?"
"Y-yes... I think so." Ilioukhine sat up, wincing slightly from the pain and watching Mantaro. Zag leapt at the prince, drop kicking him. Mantaro however grabbed his leg, holding onto it tightly and spinning Zag around to slam him to the ground.
Ilioukhine closed his eyes. Suddenly, someone grabbed his lower leg and he looked down to see Zig. Ilioukhine shook his leg to get Zig off but the Chojin was already pulling onto him, grabbing around his waist. "Get off!" Ilioukhine yelled, kicking his other foot out into Zig's face. The small boy grabbed at Zig, but he just pushed him back, hissing a little as he grabbed Ilioukhine's arms.
And something went off inside Ilioukhine, like a bomb. All the anger at not being able to remember anything... and something else as well. Ilioukhine tensed up when Zig grabbed his arms, and lost it. He sunk his teeth into Zig's hand and the other Chojin howled with pain, letting go immediately.
"You're nuts!" he yelled at Ilioukhine, holding his bleeding hand. Ilioukhine stood up shakily, his eyes narrowing and launched himself at the other Chojin, both of them tumbling off the plane to the ground below.
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Chapter 5
Ilioukhine awoke to find himself on a deserted beach, water laping around his body. He pushed himself up to a kneeling position looking around the beach. It was still pretty dark and he figured it must have been almost two in the morning. He drew a hand through his hair which was covered with wet sand and glanced into the starless sky, the memories of his match with Zig coming back to him.
He had actually survived a fall of an airplane. Ilioukhine glanced around, but there was no sign of his opponent. Uneasily he got to his feet and winced as sharp pain flooded his senses. He had twisted his ankle pretty badly during the scuffle. He found himself a large thick stick to lean on and limped off to find somewhere to stay the night.
---
Robin Mask sighed as he read the front story of the daily newspaper. Mantaro Kinniku and an unknown Chojin had prevented two evil Chojins from hijacking a plane. The unknown Chojin had apparantly fallen off the plane with one of the brothers, the second had then jumped off the plane after them. It was all over the news. Mantaro was, of course, lapping up the publicity and fame like he always did. At least Kinnikuman had had more dignity than that. Robin sweatdropped. Okay... maybe not that much more, but it still was there when one comapred the two.
Robin looked up as his own son entered the kitchen, making himself a cup of tea. Robin coughed, "Son-" When those angry yellow eyes locked onto his Robin instantly recoiled, looking back down into his newspaper. He tried to think back to his younger days. Had he really been this angry, cold and distant after his loss to Kinnikuman?
Kevin slipped a straw into his mask and sat on the opposite side of the table to Robin, cold eyes locked on his father. Kevin's eyes finally found the newspaper and he snatched it from his father's hands, reading the front cover. Robin just sighed and drank his own tea.
"Fucking idiots." Kevin hissed as he read the story about Mantaro. One of Robin's optics widened. He knew Kevin had a bit of a foul mouth but wasn't expecting him to curse right there in front of him. Robin kept his red eyes down on his own mug, not looking at his son.
Kevin evantually finished his drink and placed the mug in the sink. One of the servants hurried over to clean it as the younger Mask left the kitchen to head back to his training. Robin sighed a little and pulled his straw out, rubbing his hand against the front of his mask tiredly. This couldn't go on much more...
---
It was becoming late again. Ilioukhine looked up blearily as he continued limping. He had been for well over twelve hours and was hopelessly lost. London's streets were unusually deserted and the map in Ilioukhine's hand had blurred slightly from when it had rained earlier, Ilioukhine was shivering from the cold, but he continued walking. Ilioukhine had been thinking about the two mysterious Chojins him and the Kinniku prince had fought - Zig and Zag. He wondered if they had anything to do with the Chojin he had seen in his visions... or his past. Evening's red sky had already disappeared, the dark sky gleaming ominously and Ilioukhine sighed a little, shifting his weight on the wood he was limping on before continuing walking.
Meanwhile not too far away Robin Mask was walking home, carrying a small bag of shopping. His red eyes looked up at the darkness of the sky and he shivered a little. It wasn't like Robin to leave the Mask family home so late, but being able to do nothing while his only son practically destroyed his own body was almost maddening and Robin had had to do something to clear his mind. Once more Robin felt his mind wander back to his own loss at the Chojin Crown and his hand tightened slightly around the handles of the carrier bag. He had needed that loss... no matter how embarassing... he had needed it for later the later battles he would wage for Kinnikuman, like those of the Devil Knigh- Robin sighed. That was the second time he had thought about the Knights in only a few days.
Memories of his battles vanished when Robin heard someone... or something behind him. He spun around, however his optics widened when he saw the black figure and the bag fell from his numb fingers. "Warsman!"
The robotic Chojin said nothing, dark red eyes locked on Robin's form. The older Mask stepped forward, his own red eyes gleaming, his arms wide open to embrace his friend, "It is good to see you again Warsman, has it really been so long since the Chojin Crown? What are you doing here? Why-" the questions died on his lips however when he saw that Warsman's bear claws were out. Unconsciously Robin stepped back a little, "Warsman, what's wrong...?"
Warsman's eyes glowed a bright red and he suddenly leapt at Robin, bear claws aimed for for the Mask's head. Robin's optics widened. Suddenly someone new had appeared and tackled Warsman, pushing the robotic Chojin to the ground. It was a young man with white hair. The whiteness was a stark contrast to Warsman's black armour. Warsman's eyes glowed, pushing back, hissing in Russian. The new man glared defiantly at him, pushing him back. He then turned slightly towards Robin and yelled, "Run!" in a heavy Russian accent.
Robin Mask was not one to run away even when he was hopelessly outmatched. The clasps of his cloak came off and it fell to the ground as Robin got into a desfensive position. The young man cried in shock as Warsman's bear claws scraped the side of his face. Warsman leapt for Robin once more, but the man had gotten behind him. The man was bleeding from the side of the face but he pulled Warsman's waist up; "German Suplex!" and slammed hard into the ground. Warsman had been dazed from the blow and his optics flickered slightly before going dead.
Robin stepped forward towards the young man. He coughed, wiping his face, before looked up at the older Mask. "You're Robin Mask..."
"Correct." Robin held a shaky hand out to young man who took it to stand up. "We better get back to my place before he wakes up." he eyed his old friend worriedly. Why would Warsman attack him...?
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