[Kyoryuger] Rage

[alcesverdes]

Title: Rage
Fandom: Zyuuden Sentai Kyoryuger
Wordcount: +2600
Rating: R
Characters: Utsusemimaru, Daigo Kiryuu, Dogold, brief cameos of the other Kyoryuugers
Pairing(s): Red/Gold
Genre: Hurt/comfort
Warning(s): Violence, psychological torture, suicidal thoughts
Notes: Written for the "Abuse (Physical or Emotional)" prompt of the genprompt_bingo card.
Summary: King has been missing. Ucchii attempts a rescue. Dogold is involved.

---

Ucchii was the last one to get back to the Spirit Base after yet another long and unfruitful day. The third one in a row. Part of him hoped the others were successful where he failed, and only neglected to call him in their happiness. However, to see them sitting around the table with their heads hung low made his heart sink even further.

In those three days, their only relevant findings had been King's mobuckle, abandoned in the middle of the forest, with no sign of the man himself. That prompted an exasperated, "We should've put the tracker in him!" from Ian as an attempt to relief some of the tension. However, King would never forget an item so important. Not with the way he always stressed communication between the Kyouryuugers, and how he liked to keep tabs on everyone.

Without a word, Ucchii sat down between Amy and Ian. The first leaned her head against one of his shoulders while the second put a hand on the other. Ucchii could only hope those gestures were at least half as comforting for them as they were for him. He felt so helpless and useless, being unable to do anything but keep wallowing. Even Gabutyra grew restless. Pteragordon told him that the tyrannosaurus spent the whole afternoon roaring through the forest, crushing boulders with his tail.

No word had come from the side of the Deboss Army, either. They would gloat if they'd captured the enemy's leader, right? To lower their morale. But there was only silence. If only a monster had shown up, they could’ve at least asked. Otherwise, how to charge and perform a brave rescue? But without that certainty, it would only be a waste of resources, time and effort.

Ucchii hated this. He hated it so much. If the situation kept going for much longer, how would he go on? Would he be able to bear the loss of another leader? Of his dear friend? The answer to those questions was an easy one: no. No he wouldn't. If he had to go through the heartbreak again, he had no idea of what would be of him.

He didn't sleep that night. Before the dawn of the fourth day, he left the Base once more, trying not to wake up anyone. His teammates needed their rest.

This time, Ucchii took random paths. They all had looked everywhere, and he was running out of ideas. Ucchii walked with heavy feet, looking around him, every single spot of red he saw became King's vest. And yet, none of them were.

However, fate decreed that just as the sun rose, he ran into an known face in an alley. It was Dogold with a small group of Zourimas. Ucchii's blood boiled. He pursed his lips as he frowned and guided his hand to his sword. He would get some answers now and stop whatever evil plan they would have.

"Dogold!" he called.

"Utsusemimaru-chan!" answered Dogold in sing-song, although with a tone of annoyance in his voice. "Such an early bird you are."

"Stop whatever you are doing."

"Or...?"

Ucchii shook his head. First the answers, he told himself. Then the fight. It crossed his mind too late that he should've called for back up. But it was too late now. "Before we engage, I must ask you a question: has the Deboss Army taken King-dono as their prisoner?"

Dogold chuckled. "KyouryuuRed? Ah. No. I'm afraid no. He's not a prisoner of the Deboss Army." He folded his arms and shook his head. "Did you misplace him? Don't you remember what happens to your comrades when you're not looking, Utsusemimaru-chan? You should take better care of them. Is that all?"

As usual, Dogold knew where to hit. Yes, that was true. Last time he got careless mourning his lord, Dogold took advantage and killed all his friends but Torin just to taunt him. "Yes," Ucchii said drawing Zandar Thunder, righteous anger burning in his voice. "That is all."

The fight began without any other word. Ucchii dispatched the Zourima first. The were only a handful, and he channeled the frustration of days from his shoulders to his blade. Soon, there nothing stood between him and Dogold, who was already waiting for him.

"You should get better foot soldiers," Ucchii said.

Dogold shrugged. "Yes. But if they wear you down too fast, where would my fun be?" He raised his own sword and launched forward. "It's going to get wild!"

Ucchii was so surprised by the phrase he barely had the presence of mind to block Dogold. He did, however, sparks showering from the spot the blades met.

KyoryuuGold grew even angrier. Dogold excelled at delivering low blows, yes, but this was too much. "What are you up to?" he asked between his teeth.

Dogold took a step back only to have more room for another attack as he dodged everything Ucchii sent him.

The Rage Knight's technique seemed unrecognizable. He improvised more, attacking from improbable angles. Dogold seemed to have found a freer style. Wilder, even. But also stronger.

"What am I up to?" If the mask could've been able to grin, it would've been doing it now. "I want you to get angrier than ever!" Dogold pushed Ucchii away before jumping away to the top of a building. "As I said," he continued from up there, "KyoryuuRed isn't a prisoner of the Deboss Army." He flashed a victory sign. "Now try and stop me!" he said, laughing.

Dogold then disappeared, leaving Ucchii to sink to his knees in despair and disbelief.

Don't you remember what happens to your comrades when you're not looking, Utsusemimaru-chan?

***

Ucchii held back his tears and got a better hold of Zandar Thunder.

This was his fault. His own fault. If Dogold wasn't so obsessed with him, he wouldn't have tried to hurt him this way. Ucchii had been the armor's prisoner for centuries, and didn't wish not even five minutes of that to anyone.

He had to rescue him. He had to rescue King as soon as possible. Ucchii would never forgive himself if one of the other Kyoryuugers, unaware of the situation and taunted by Dogold, hurt their leader.

Circumstances and landscapes were so different in the modern era, but Ucchii was still a competent tracker. It helped that he was so properly motivated—and that Dogold wanted to be found.

The Deboss Knight waited for him in another alley. He'd taken Ucchii's advice and got better foot soldiers: Cambrima. Not only that, but they were three times as many as the Zourima from before.

Ucchii glared at Dogold. "I thought you didn't want me tired."

"Didn't you ask for stronger and longer-lasting fighters?" Dogold replied, one of his hands a fist pressed against his chest. "With the body I'm currently possessing, you'll be defeated soon regardless. This is my way to say farewell."

"Farewell. Yes, I agree," Ucchii said, raising Zandar Thunder. "But it will not be in the way you think."

With no time to lose, Ucchii charged against the enemy, who was ready to receive him. He performed the Change Dance during the battle, a Cambrima falling because of a well-placed strike of Ucchii's sword between every other one of his steps. By the time KyoryuuGold was all suited up, only half of them remained. The rest, he dispatched in a moment, thanks to his lightning.

Even if he was a little tired and out of breath, Ucchii had suffered no important wounds. Nothing that would prevent him to achieve his ultimate goal.

Once more, the path to his enemy was clear. It was time. What happened to him was of no importance. Ucchii closed his eyes for a moment, picturing King's face and listening in his mind to one of those warm and enthusiastic speeches of encouragement. He felt every brave word in his heart, and then he was ready.

Ucchii looked up to Dogold once more. The Deboss Knight would use every resource at his disposal to win this, to maximize the hurt he could cause on Ucchii. Which meant he'd behave as King as much as possible. Ucchii went through what he knew of King's fighting style, which was more effective than refined. Eclectic, without no obvious influence of any particular school. He didn't have a signature move, outside the Brave Finish, or those he gained in in Carnival Mode. But there was no way to do it without the zyuudenchi of the other Kyoryuugers, and Ucchii would cut off his own hand before allowing Dogold to use Pteragordon's again.

As Ucchii expected, Dogold showed him King's missing Gaburevolver. The samurai forced himself to remember how Dogold's words implied the Deboss Army not being aware of any of this. Thus, Chaous wouldn't have corrupted Gabutyra's zyuudenchi as he did with Pteragordon's.

"I'm amazed by your lack of empathy, Ucchii," Dogold said, making Ucchii wince at the use of his beloved nickname. "Aren't you going to ask me to release Kiryuu Daigo?"

"I will not beg anything from you, Dogold," Ucchii replied, spitting out the last word. "However, if you let King-dono go, I would be merciful this time."

Dogold threw his head back and laughed. "We're so predictable. Fine. Let's get this over with."

With his free hand, Dogold produced Gabutyra's +6 zyuudenchi and loaded it in the Gaburevolver.

Ucchii's eyes widened. "No! Stop!" he exclaimed, reaching out with his hand. King as a tyrannosaur had been savage enough, but with the Rage Knight thrown into the mix... "You don't know what could happen being the two of you!"

"Didn't you say you wouldn't beg?" Dogold asked, still laughing, as he got ready to shoot.

Not knowing what else to do, nor where Dogold's true intentions lay, Ucchii dropped Zandar Thunder and shot blast after blast toward the Gaburevolver in his enemy's hand.

He regretted it instantly.

Dogold was waiting for that move. The pieces of the suit of armor dispersed, leaving King to be hit by Ucchii's fire.

"King-dono!" Ucchii cried, his voice distorted by anguish. "King-dono! What have I— What—-"

Part of him wanted to run to hold King, but the rest of him, stronger and louder, told him he wasn't worthy. He sank to his knees, his brave dispelled along with his suit, and remained where he was, frozen.

It took Ucchii a moment to register the tip of Dogold's sword pressed against his neck, below his chin.

"I kept a spare Cambrima hidden," he explained, unprompted. "Ah. I'm glad this is over. It was getting hard to keep that guy in. Not a type to stay angry for long. But you—" he lifted Ucchii's chin with the sword "—Utsusemimaru-chan, are you angry now?"

Ucchii's entire body trembled as tears poured down his cheeks. He boiled with anger and disappointment in himself. How could have things gone so wrong? The body of the person he had wanted to rescue now lay limp at the other side of the alley. Because of him. He did that. This was his fault. He— Yes, he pulled the trigger, but it had been Dogold who orchestrated the whole scenario.

Slowly, Ucchii turned to the armor, his jailer for four hundred years, and glared at him with pure, undiluted hate. A hate stronger than anything he felt during his imprisonment.

"That's much better," Dogold said. "I think it's about time we get properly reunited."

The intersections of the armor began to shine. The image of impaling his own neck in the sword to frustrate Dogold's plan once and for all crossed Ucchii's mind, but before neither of them could proceed, someone yelled, "Get away from him!"

The Rage Knight hadn't begun to separate his pieces when he was hit by something and forced to get back to the Cambrima.

"What—?" he said, but now that his attention was divided, Ucchii got up and pummeled him in his middle section, forcing him to retreat.

Confused, Dogold took several step back until he lost his balance and tripped over a a cute puppy can, falling backwards. Ucchii didn't stop then; he only changed tactics. Zandar Thunder was far away now, but his rage and grief guided his hands to a sharp-pointed metal tube. With a cry, Ucchii pierced his enemy's chest with his improvised spear.

"How irritating," Dogold growled as the Cambrima's body disappeared and he retreated back to the lair of the Deboss Army, to lick his wounds.

"Ucchii!" someone called.

He knew that voice. It was—It was King's!

Ucchii dropped the tube and looked around. He found King supporting himself in one knee, holding his Gaburevolver with one hand, and his shoulder with the other. He looked worried. But why? He shouldn't be the one to worry, specially now.

Ucchii began to cry once more, but this time due to relief and regret. He ran to King, but stopped to kowtow before reaching him.

"King-dono!" he said between sobs. "King-dono, please—! I—I can't presume you would ever forgive me, but..."

A firm hand on his shoulder made him stop. He looked up and found King looking gently at him.

"It's fine, Ucchii!" he said, his voice as bright and upbeat as usual. "We're both fine now."

"Fine?" Ucchii's eyes trailed to the wound on King's shoulder. It was still bleeding.

King placed his hand on Ucchii's cheek to have him look at his face again. "Don't worry about that. I've had worse," he declared, although Ucchii wasn't sure how that was supposed to make him feel better.

Sniffling, Ucchii grabbed the shoulders of King's vest. "I thought I had lost you—by my own hand."

King then surprised Ucchii by pressing their foreheads together. "I'm here," he said. "We're both here. We're going to be fine."

He was so close. There was so much certainty in his voice and... he was so close now.

Ucchii was tired, and had gone through so much in such a little time. That would become his excuse, even to himself, after he gave in to feelings he didn't know existed until he leaned forward to kiss King.

King reacted with a surprised noise that would have taken Ucchii out of the moment if it hadn't been because he kissed back. Ucchii began the kiss with desperate longing, but King turned it into a carnival.

"King-dono," Ucchii murmured once they separated. He opened his eyes to find King smiling a delightful—and delighted—smile.

"Ucchii~" he said. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this, but there was never a good moment."

"A good moment?" Ucchii repeated, as he realized what he had just done. He jumped backwards, as if being in the same space as King burned him, and kowtowed again. "K—King-dono! My apologies! I didn't mean—I—"

"Ah, Ucchii," King said, flopping to sit down cross-legged. "Don't lie. You meant it. I did too, you know?"

Slowly, Ucchii looked up. King's grin had become mischievous.

"You did?" Ucchii asked.

"Yep!" King stood up. "We both could use some rest right now, though," he said, and scratched the back of his head. "And I actually could use some bandages—"

Ucchii began to flail and stand up. "Of course! How inconsiderate of me! I'll take care of you."

King laughed and hugged Ucchii, holding him tight against him with the good arm. "I know you will! But one thing at a time," he said, and he kissed Ucchii again.

Ucchii allowed himself a second to indulge himself before listening to that voice in his mind that told him this shouldn't be their first priority.

Reluctantly, he pushed back, but offered his hand to King. "Come on, then?"

His happiness knew no bounds when King took it. "Now bravely?" he asked.

Smiling, and feeling his heart so full it could burst, Ucchii nodded. Just once, but firmly. "Now, bravely," he repeated, and led the march to a better place where he could tend to King's wound, and they could keep talking.

And maybe kissing.