Near the circus, a masked magician attacked with corrupted orbs, causing explosions all around. Citizens ran for their lives... while he trapped some inside large purple bubbles.
"Heeehahahahaaa! Say hello to your new king, Morchant!" The magician declared.
Suddenly, light arrows shot from a hilltop, bursting the bubbles and freeing the captives. It was EmaKenjiro, loosing arrow after arrow. The magician unleashed a barrier of corrupted energy.
"Who dares to interfere with my plans?!" He shouted.
Behind him, Yukiko appeared, slashing rapidly with her katana before sending him straight into Vincy. Vincy activated his {Berserk Mode} and smashed him away. The trio regrouped, standing firm before the magician. The magician quickly recovered, charging a massive beam of corrupted energy. However, a massive shield appeared before them, blocking it completely.
Taro stepped forward, joining them.
"Surrender! You picked the wrong place!" He said.
"Umm… pretty sure he picked the right one," Vincy replied. "Clowns belong in the circus."
"Haha… too funny, Vincy," Ema mocked sarcastically. "What's next? Do I get the drums?"
"Sheesh, you guys don't have a sense of humor," Vincy grumbled.
"Oi! Oi! Shūchū shiro!" Yukiko barked.
"Can anyone tell her we don't understand her 'Yapanese'?" Vincy asked, pointing at Yukiko.
"Yukiko's telling us to focus, guys," Taro explained.
"Ah, got it," Vincy replied.
The masked magician snapped, shouting:
"ENOUGH! I WON'T LET ANYONE INTERRUPT ME!"
He suddenly opened a giant orange portal... that began sucking them in.
"Watch out! The portal will–" Taro began.
Before he could finish, Yukiko and the others shoved him inside.
"Goodbye, losers! Heeehahahahaaa!" The magician cackled, waving.
They linked hands as Yukiko cast her {Sakura Rope} to pull them back, but the rope vanished mid-way. Taro tried to summon his shield downward, but nothing happened… and they all plunged into the portal.
When they regained consciousness, they found themselves in the middle of a vast desert.
"Where are we?" Taro asked, scanning the horizon.
"W-WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CLOTHES?!" Vincy yelled.
They looked down to see themselves wearing their usual outfits... instead of their special ones.
"W-Where are our clothes and masks?" Yukiko asked.
"I can't use my necklace... and where are our weapons?" Ema added. "Yukiko, can you re-equip our stuff?"
"I can't! Nothing works," she answered.
"I can't use my shield either," Taro admitted. "Something happened in that portal."
"The important question is… HOW DO WE GET BACK?!" Vincy panicked. "ARE WE STUCK FOREVER?! WON'T I GET TO WATCH THE FINAL EPISODE?!"
"Vincy! No time for your stupid show!" Ema shouted.
"HEY! DON'T INSULT MY FAVORITE SHOW!" Vincy shot back.
"Calm down, everyone," Taro said calmly. "We won't solve anything like this. For now, all we can do is–"
Suddenly, a group of bandits surrounded them, revolvers aimed.
"Umm… who are these guys?" Vincy asked.
"Pretty sure they're not friendly," Ema replied. "Vincy, go smash them."
"Consider it done! {Berserk Mode}!" He shouted, slamming his fists together.
However, nothing happened.
"Heh? I said {Berserk Mode}!" He tried again.
He kept smashing his fists faster... until it hurt.
"AH, COME ON! EVEN MY POWER?!" He shouted.
"We're in trouble," Ema said grimly. "We're surrounded, and even defenseless."
This is bad,Taro thought, sweating. I can't take on that many with bare fists, especially with those guns.
Suddenly, a cowboy strode into view.
"What do we got here? A bunch o' varmints," he drawled, smiling from under the brim of his hat.
"A sheriff! Shoot 'im!" A bandit yelled.
The sheriff dodged the bullets with ease, lassoed a few bandits, and knocked them cold with the rear of his revolver. He reloaded behind a rock, and went off while firing shot after shot... until the last of them fell.
When it was over, he approached the group.
"Howdy, mates," he greeted. "Folks 'round here call me TaroAbodo, sheriff o' Central Town."
The moment they heard the name, they froze in shock... especially Taro. It was like looking in a mirror… but older, from before his reborn phenomenon.
"W-What are you saying?! TaroAbodo is right here!" Vincy shouted, pointing. "Are you an imposter too?"
"Relax, Vincy," Taro said. "He's not lying. Look at the star on his chest."
The badge read T.A., his name initials.
The others were surprised, then turned and began whispering.
"You're right!" Yukiko said.
"How is that possible? How can there be two Taros at the same time?" Ema asked, confused.
"Listen, guys," Taro explained. "We're in another dimension. This isn't Brookhaven… or even the Overworld we know. Enzo once told me about dimensions, but never mentioned anything in detail. That magician must've had the power to open dimensional portals."
"Wait… does that mean there could be other versions of us too?" Vincy asked.
"Why this dimension, though?" Ema wondered.
"And what happened to our powers and weapons?" Yukiko added.
Taro thought for a moment, then responded:
"Maybe it's like the {Portal of Realms} Enzo used before... only this is a {Portal of Dimensions}. Maybe entering another dimension strips away our powers completely... along with our equipment."
"In that case, if we get back, we can restore everything," Ema said.
"Yeah, but I still don't know how to return," Taro admitted. "Even with our powers, we couldn't open portals. And I don't think magic even exists here."
"This is horrible, man," Vincy groaned. "What do we do?"
"Don't lose hope yet," Taro responded. "Someone might rescue us. Don't forget... that magician is still out there."
"Oh yeah, we still need to take care of him," Ema replied.
"For now, let's explore this dimension... until we find a way back," Taro decided.
Then, they returned to the other Taro. The Azure Knight one offered a handshake and declared:
"Hello there! This might feel crazy, but my name is TaroAbodo too. I'm another version of you in a different dimension. I'm an Azure Knight, nice to meet you!"
"This sure is somethin' wild, but I gotta say... mighty fine to see ya 'round," the other Taro replied, shaking hands.
Then, the knight one asked:
"So, what happened to these bandits? Did you kill them?"
"No doubt about it, friend! My bullets ain't meant to kill... they're just here to sting and keep 'em on their toes," he explained. "Yet, the bandits' six-shooters mean business. Keep your guard up!"
Then, the sheriff one pulled up a flare gun and shot it toward the sky.
"What was that for?" Ema asked.
"Just enough to call up the lawmen," sheriff Taro responded. "Let's round up the gang down at the saloon."
"Dude... I barely understand what he is saying," Vincy whispered to Taro.
"Same here, just be normal," Taro whispered back.
"I started to feel her 'Yapanese' is much easier," Vincy said, pointing to Yukiko with his thumb.
"Urusai, baka," Yukiko snapped aggressively.
On the way, they began chatting.
"So, how could you find us?" Ema asked.
"I was headin' out to deal with the boss... before I ran into you," he responded.
"Who's that?" Taro asked.
"Bandit's chief... Armageddon," he answered with a serious tone.
"Armageddon... is back?!" Taro asked, shocked.
"Is he a dark creature too?" Yukiko asked.
"Does he have big wings and a huge, muscled body?" Ema asked.
"IS HE BLACK?!" Vincy shouted.
Everyone froze, staring at Vincy.
"What? He's a dark creature!" He replied.
"Vincy… that's not how you describe it," Ema responded.
"Oi... don't be racist," Yukiko added.
"I'm not racist!" He replied. "He's literally not human! I mean his skin is… you know... evil-looking shadow black! AH, COME ON!"
"Don't rightly know what you're on about, folks," the other Taro responded, confused. "Pretty sure he's just a regular man."
"I see... same names, but different people and roles," Ema remarked.
"Aw man, it's too hot in here," Vincy complained, removing his jacket.
After a few minutes, they entered the saloon, meeting up with three cowboys. They looked like the other trio with different clothes and hair. The four warriors were shocked after seeing them.
Vincy looked timid and weak, Yukiko looked rude and fashionable, while Ema looked... a little silly.
"Here's my posse, folks. Vincy, Ema, and Yukiko... just like ya," the other Taro introduced.
"WHY IS MY OTHER VERSION FEELS PATHETIC?!" Vincy shouted.
"Oh great, two idiots now," Ema mocked.
"HEY!" Both versions of Vincy reacted with their own attitude.
"Well... can anyone tell me why my version is the stupidest by far?" Ema asked, annoyed. "I'm the smartest here, you know."
"Oi! Why is the other me so... different?" Yukiko asked, shocked.
"At least my version is a great leader," Taro said, smiling.
Instantly, the sheriff Taro got closer to the other Yukiko, holding a rose.
"Howdy there, darlin' Yuki. Care to mosey 'round with me later?" He asked, flirting.
Immediately, she sent him backwards with a kick to the face... a sign of refusal probably.
"N-Nevermind," Taro whispered, smiling faintly.
"Such a puppy-dog," Vincy commented. "I feel bad for you, pal. You got the worst version by far."
"We got an idiot, a coward, a rude, and an infatuated leader... great," Ema muttered.
"Wait... was your hair black, Yukiko?" Taro asked.
"Hai, that's before I held my katana for the first time," Yukiko responded.
"Mine was brown, yours and hers were black, and Ema's was orange," Vincy replied. "They hadn't experienced the moment before earning our powers."
Then, the cowgirl Yukiko asked:
"Now, Taro, who are those folks?"
"These are us... yet different, sweetheart," the other Taro responded, removing dust. "They aim to lend us a hand."
"G-Great! more hands 'gainst Armageddon," the other Vincy replied.
"They sure ain't goin' toe-to-toe wearin'… whatever that is," the other Yukiko added.
"Eh? What's wrong with our clothes?" Vincy asked, eyebrow raised.
"Nothin' much, partner," the other Taro responded. "Just need steel in your hand and clothes that suit the saddle."
After that, the other Taro led them to the sheriff's office, letting them change clothes one after another. They wore their versions' alternate outfits. Along with their outfits, Taro and Yukiko had lassos, while Vincy and Ema held revolvers.
"Alright, now that y'all are kitted up… let's go rustle up with the others," sheriff Taro said.
After they met up with the others, they headed toward Armageddon's hideout.
"Is dealing with Armageddon that hard?" Vincy asked.
"The law'd been chasin' him for months with no luck. I finally sniffed out his hideout yesterday... by trailin' one of his boys in secret," the other Taro responded.
"Don't you guys have horses or something?" Ema asked.
"Best not bringin' 'em along for this ride," the other Yukiko responded.
An hour later, they finally reached his hideout. They hid behind a bunch of rocks.
"So, what's the plan?" Vincy asked.
"I know! We'll bust on in an' go bang-bang-bang!" The other Ema responded.
"We can't just enter simply... we need a better plan," Ema refused.
"Then we'll knock those bandits an' go bang-bang-bang!" The other Ema added.
"There are so many out there... that will be difficult," Taro replied.
"Then we–" She began... again.
Instantly, Ema bound her mouth.
"I hate myself," she muttered. "What do you think, Abodo? You sure know what to do."
"We can sneak in while capturing the bandits quietly," Taro explained. "The ones having lassos follow me, while the rest with revolvers stay behind... waiting for my sign."
"LET'S ROLL!" Vincy shouted. "YEEHA–"
"Shhh!" The trio interrupted, shutting him.
Taro and Yukiko began capturing the bandits from the right, while their versions from the left. After they cleared the area, the four met up at the hideout's door. Sheriff Taro prepared his revolver and went through.
They found nobody inside. After they turned back, they saw themselves surrounded by three bandits. A guy holding an assault rifle, a lady holding two revolvers, and a muscled one holding a shotgun. They saw Vincy, Ema, and their versions captured behind.
"This is it, we're done for!" The other Vincy said, completely panicked.
"Shut up, you coward!" Vincy shouted.
"Told ya, we shoulda gone bang-bang-bang!" The other Ema added.
"I'll bang your head if you don't remain silent," Ema replied aggressively.
The three bandits began introducing themselves.
"Name's Obsidian. Strongest 'round," the muscled one declared.
"Name's Malice. Sneakiest gal this side of the range," she declared.
"Name's Zero. Ain't nobody smarter 'round these parts," the last declared.
"We're Armageddon's top trio... and we ain't here to mess around!" All three shouted at once, creating flexible poses.
"Coincidence? Of course not!" Taro and Yukiko replied, unimpressed.
"Quickly! Get yerselves behind cover!" The other Taro shouted.
All of them entered the hideout, covering themselves from the bullets.
"Yuki and I only got our revolvers... what's the move?" The other Taro asked.
Taro thought for a few seconds, then he got an idea.
Minutes later, the trio stopped shooting.
"Obsidian, go check," Zero ordered.
Obsidian entered to see. He found Taro and Yukiko at the backdoor. Instantly, they ran outside.
"Ey! Get back here!" Obsidian shouted.
Malice and Zero heard the shouting. They tried to open the entrance, but two people pointed their guns at their heads from behind. They were the other versions of Taro and Yukiko.
"Too late, buddy!" The other Taro said, grinning.
Then, they shot them at the shoulder, making them fall unconscious. Apparently, they had sneaked through the backdoor and returned behind them.
Meanwhile, Obsidian searched for the runners. He looked around until he saw Taro kicking his face. Obsidian fell unconscious when his head hit the wall. Taro quickly tied him with a rope he found inside. Yukiko helped bind his mouth and legs. Then, Taro got rid of his weapon.
While the other versions bound the two bandits, an overweight figure approached, aiming his desert eagle at cowgirl Yukiko.
"LOOK OUT!" Ema shouted.
He fired, but sheriff Taro covered her, and the bullet hit his shoulder.
"Targetin' the ladies first? Unforgivable, Armageddon!" He said.
"I don't care! I'll take every last one of ya down!" Armageddon replied.
Before Armageddon shot again, Vincy bit his leg, causing him to fall and miss the shot.
"Ew..." Ema muttered, disgusted.
"At least it worked!" Vincy replied.
Someone bound him with a lasso. It was Taro, returning with his fiancée. He gave a thumbs-up toward his other version.
Roughly fifty minutes of shooting the flare gun's signal, the lawmen arrived and captured Armageddon and the bandits. Meanwhile, the team and their versions met up again.
"Are you feeling well?" Taro asked.
"Ain't no trouble, friend," his version responded. "I'll patch up this shoulder later. Reckon I couldn't've wrangled all that without you and my crew."
"Sheesh, that ended quickly... unlike the previous Armageddon," Vincy commented.
"Yeah, how funny it ended by a single bite..." Ema teased.
"Please... don't mention that again..." Vincy muttered.
Behind them, someone approached.
"There you are," he said.
It was KevinDawson, the Crimson Knight.
"Ah, the rescue came," Taro replied, smiling.
"You sure you don't want your stuff back?" Vincy asked.
"No worries, mate," other Taro answered. "We got plenty more where that came from. Keep it... like a memento for ya, and a thank-ya gift."
"Oh well, guess this is our farewell," Taro said, staring at his version.
"So long, partner," his version replied, handshaking.
"Sayonara, Yukiko-chan," Yukiko waved.
"Ride safe, honey," her version waved back.
"Goodbye... my stupid version..." Ema said, disappointed.
"See ya, pal," Vincy waved with two fingers. "Better getting braver from now on!"
The four warriors followed Kevin and disappeared into the desert. Then, sheriff Taro whispered to cowgirl Yukiko:
"That ring your other self had... did ya see it?"
"Yeah, what's on it?" She asked.
"Seems to me there's some type of connection between our versions," he responded, holding a rose. "What d'ya say... wanna have that same kinda connection?"
"Who's to say, but I'll take you up on that... for now," she accepted, taking the rose and sniffing it.
Meanwhile, the others finally saw the dimensional portal.
"How could you open the portal, Kevin?" Taro asked.
"I took care of that idiot," he responded. "Then, I forced him to lead me to you... or he would face some horrible consequences."
I don't think these 'consequences' are friendly, Taro thought, smiling nervously.
"I'm amazed how he's still opening the portal," Ema replied.
"No safety with him obviously," Kevin said. "That's why I left Lara with him. The moment he closes the portal, his head will fly off his body."
Sheesh, this guy has no chill,Vincy thought.
After they reached the other side, they saw the magician hanging on a tree branch, bound with a rope. Their powers, weapons, and outfits were back.
"Hey... what about the cowboys' stuff?" Vincy asked.
"Daijoubu, I can use my {Equip Spell} anytime," Yukiko responded.
"Ah right, just like how you did with these," Vincy replied.
"That adventure was amazing," Taro said.
"Yeah... I'll miss those guys in Dimension-47," Vincy replied.
"Dimension-47?" Ema repeated, confused.
"Yeah, four for us, and seven for Taro's favorite number," Vincy responded.
"Sure... but we're six," Ema replied.
"Sorry, these two don't count," Vincy said.
"So mean..." Lara whispered, frustrated.
"Ah... I see," Taro replied. "Why didn't you pick your favorite number?"
"I love number five, but I don't like number four," Vincy responded. "So forty-five doesn't look cool."
"Pretty sure it's because he doesn't want to include his intelligence quotient," Kevin mocked.
"Indeed!" Vincy shouted, smiling confidently.
After a few seconds, Vincy realized:
"H-HEY, HOLD ON!" He shouted.
The other trio burst into laughter, walking back to their homes.
"W-Wait! Don't leave me here!" The magician shouted. "I think I'll throw up!"
However, everyone was gone already...
...leaving him hanging on the tree!