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The New Aeon Mall, reconstructed in Neo-Kyoto to match the city’s sleeker, shinier look, stood as a testament to humanity’s ability to always bounce back from adversity, and to become stronger for it. With state of the art static defences and automated security systems capable of evacuating and sheltering the tens of thousands of customers who file through its many shops every day, it is a steel-and-glass gem of capitalism and consumerism.

But where light shines, darkness treads as well, and as the sickle moon rises, another monster strikes! Upon a holographic stage, a great invader stood, its arms menacingly wide, its claws as long as sabers! A terrible gurgle rumbled through its tubular throat, before it declared, behind the bombast of thunder and lightning, the destruction of all of mankind underneath its fearsome Photon Tiger Claws! [b]“Foolish humans, bound to the meat,”[/b] it chortled, swinging its glowing claws side to side, [b]“Today shall be the day I end all your hopes and dreams, your joy and your smiles! Know me and fear me, the great Invader, Tel-Vor!”[/b]

[b]“Not if I have a say in this!”[/b]

Three golden spotlights conjoined upon a section of the second floor of the mall, illuminating an armored hero of the highest caliber. As his iconic, glorious theme song rang through the air, singing of dreams and heroism, the red-and-silver hero of justice backflipped off, rotating twice before doing a three-point landing, his cyberweave scarf trailing dramatically above him. Striking one signature pose, then another, the transforming hero’s eyes burned the blue flame of justice, before he pointed one daring finger towards the villainous invader. [b]“Your heinous plot stops here. Vel-Tor! Upon this oath that grants me strength, the vow I made to my honored father, I [i]will[/i] defeat you! Uooooooooh…SAIBA SAIKIKU FIYA!”[/b]

Another dark chuckle, before the monstrous humanoid invader charged as well, a purple light blazing from its claws. [b]“I’LL TEAR YOU TO SHREDS!”[/b]

Holographic pyrotechnics exploded as good and evil crossed fists, to the squeals and semi-dogmatic chanting of all the kids in the audience, as well some of the much, much older kids.

After all, Friday nights were Live Show nights.
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Fifteen minutes of hot-blooded, unscripted action later, the show concluded in an explosive finale where Godfire Psyman invoked his Cosmos Lightning Mender to send Vel-Tor flying into outer space, to the applause and hype-noises of a few dozen children and their caretakers.

[b]“Good job, Tian-Gui,”[/b] a blond-haired man said, offering a bottle of water, [b]“Always good to have someone who knows their way through CQC.”[/b]

[b][color=ed1c24]“Hey, no probs, Akira,”[/color][/b] the larger man waved, [b][color=ed1c24]“The smiles make it worth it.”[/color][/b]

Akira laughed. [b]“Spoken like a true hero.”[/b]

Tian-Gui grinned back, punching him on the shoulder. [b][color=ed1c24]“Gotta up your game, Psyman. Can’t get outheroed by the villain, yeah?”[/color][/b]

[b]“Hey, if you ever wanna go into this for real…” [/b]The blond ikemen eyed a brow. [b]“…an Invader-turned-hero was an idea they’ve been throwing around.”[/b]

[b][color=ed1c24]“Naw, got my responsibilities ‘n all.”[/color][/b]

His shrug came easily. [b]“Figured. Wanna go for udon?”[/b]

[b][color=ed1c24]“Eh…maybe after I get out of this costume?”[/color][/b]